Volume 145, No. 157 covering the 1st Session of the 106th Congress (1999 - 2000) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TRIBUTE TO LATE HON. GEORGE BROWN” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H11832-H11841 on Nov. 9, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO LATE HON. GEORGE BROWN
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the consideration given to this special order.
As my colleagues have heard, the legislature is coming to an end. And it would be a very sad end if we did not pay tribute to one of the most distinguished California citizens to ever serve in the United States Congress, our beloved George Brown, who passed away this year as a Member of the House.
So tonight, surrounded by his family and friends, Members of the California delegation and other States have come forward and would like to express their feelings and sympathies for the great life of a great man who served longer in the United States Congress than any other Member in California history.
I am very pleased to be able to share this hour of colloquy, hour of memorial resolutions with the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), my esteemed colleague and very close friend of George Brown and his neighbor.
I would like to call upon the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) first. And then we are going to be sharing, as Members want to express their concerns and try to keep their remarks to several minutes. Because we can see there are many people here that want to speak.
Mr. Speaker, ``I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, human liberty as the source of national action, the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas.'' JFK quote.
He was a great man and a distinguished public servant; 45 years of public service; 36 years in the House, the longest serving Congress member in California history.
Won first election--as Monterey Park city councilman and became mayor one year later. Member of the California State Legislature. First elected to U.S. Congress in 1962. Unlike other politicians, he did not read the polls--No other member of Congress cast more ``unsafe'' votes--and live to tell the tale.
Best known for his work on science and technology: ``With his passing, science and technology lost its most knowledgeable advocate, he embraced the future by articulating a vision that includes harnessing science and technology to achieve sustainable development.''
George Brown quote from NY Times interview: ``From my earliest days, I was fascinated by science. I was fascinated by a utopian vision of what the world could be like. I've thought that science could be the basis for a better world, and that's what I've been trying to do all these years.''
He had the foresight to champion the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Technology Assessment, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Recognized leader in forming the institutional framework for science and technology in the Federal Government. Led effort to move the National Science Foundation into more active roles in engineering, science, education and the development of advanced technologies.
Had the vision, courage and integrity to have remained ahead of the mainstream: In the California Assembly authored first bill in the nation to ban lead in gasoline. Recognized, early on: the environmental hazards of burning fossil fuels; the destructive effect of freon; the importance of keeping space development under civilian control; and the necessity of monitoring global climate change. In due time, Congress adopted these issues as legislation.
Style of argument: Brown cultivated a polite and courtly style of argument. His reliance on reason coupled with the respect he showed his opponents made him a very effective advocate and enabled him to form alliances with people of all political parties.
Human qualities: Cigar chomping, rumpled suit, pacifist, social democrat, fierce idealist, a maverick. At UCLA, he helped create some of the first cooperative student housing and was first to integrate campus housing by rooming with Tom Bradley--the future Mayor of Los Angeles. Joined the Army despite his pacifist leanings in order to serve the country.
Inspiration to California Democrats: The current California Democratic party is replete with individuals who worked on Brown's several campaigns, including Senator Boxer. Dean of the California Congressional Delegation. He was our hero, and our inspiration to continue championing good and fighting evil.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), my colleague and esteemed friend, the chair of the Republican delegation from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering, let me ask my colleague a question if I can by way of procedure. I know there are Members on both sides who are asking for time, etcetera, and I have made a list and so on. Should we kind of divide this time in a way that I can distribute time and ask the Chair for unanimous consent for that?
Mr. FARR of California. I have no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the procedures of this Special Order, the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr) controls the time and distributes the time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. If he yields half of it to me, then can I distribute it?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There is an hour on the clock, which is reserved to designees of the Leadership; and the Chair will not recognize for subdivisions of that hour.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate any colleague yielding.
Let me say that I intend to make the bulk of my remarks at the end of this session. But let us begin by indicating to the body that oft times, especially with the advent of C-SPAN, the public very often sees only the confrontation between the two sides of the aisle, debate swirling around very important issues that sometimes takes us to the extreme of expression and confrontations that is the presumed norm.
I must say that, over the years, I have had great pleasure in the fact that George Brown and I found working together that we had so much more in common than our people who watch us on the football team of politics in our home district territory would ever realize.
For the Members' information, our commonality for me began when as a young person just out of college entering the life insurance business, I settled in a small town outside of Los Angeles for a couple of years to be close to the big city.
The local assemblyman at that point in time was one George Brown, and that is when I first heard of this legislator and friend to be.
Not too long after that, George sought his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and served there for a distinguished period of time that was a part of his distinguished career. He then sought a seat, or at least the nomination, in the U.S. Senate and left the Congress for a while.
In the meantime, I had returned home to San Bernardino County. It was years after that initial contact in Monterey Park that I got to know George as a candidate for the Congress in our territory near his former home in Colton, California. He served in the Congress for a period of time before I arrived here. But over the years, we developed a very, very close personal relationship.
Most importantly, we developed a professional relationship, as well. And as his wife Marta that is in the chambers with us in person but in spirit in many more ways, along with her family, it is my privilege to share with my colleagues the thoughts of some of the Members on this side of the aisle as we distribute time to them and we very much look forward to hearing a great deal about this wonderful character who was a wonderful diplomat as well as ambassador here in the House of Representatives.
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General Leave
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special order today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Farr) for setting aside this time to give tribute and salute to George Brown, our House colleague who died earlier this year after representing his constituents in California for more than 34 years. He is survived, as it has been said, by his wife Marta and their six children. She is here with us in the Chamber and we are delighted to see her. Many of us are aware of Marta's strong interest in public service and her commitment to social change. I know that she will continue Mr. Brown's legacy of boundless curiosity and forging public policy that advances social justice.
Representative Brown, who became one of my best friends here, embodied the best that the House of Representatives has to offer. He was committed to public service, fought for social justice and became the Nation's foremost policymaker when it came to science and technology. He was a good listener and that is one of the reasons he was so successful. He took the time to understand his constituents and their problems. He believed that lawmakers should do their own homework, learn the issues and know how the issues affect their constituents. He prided himself on doing his own research.
I served with Mr. Brown on the House Committee on Science and the longer we served together, the greater my admiration for him grew. As chairman of the House Committee on Science during the 102nd and 103rd Congresses, he reached the pinnacle of his legislative career. He was the recognized leader in forming the institutional framework for science and technology in the Federal Government. He worked tirelessly to expand the scope of NASA as one of the Federal Government's lead agencies in promoting research and development.
In the 1960s and again in the 1980s, he helped restructure the National Science Foundation by directing that agency into more active roles in engineering and the development of advanced technologies. He also redirected the National Science Foundation to become the Nation's lead Federal agency in promoting mathematics, science, engineering and technology. His efforts have had a lasting impact on the development of these disciplines for kindergarten through 12th graders and more. He recognized that today's students will become tomorrow's workers. To be successful, these students must be technologically fluent and that will not happen without a strong commitment from the Federal Government working hand in hand and in coordination with the private sector. He understood that fact.
He developed legislation that established the Office of Science and Technology to focus the Nation's policy in these areas. In the 1970s, he championed the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Technology Assessment. He also directed the Congress toward groundbreaking initiatives for energy and resource conservation, sustainable agriculture, wind energy, global climate change research and space exploration. Throughout his career, he enthusiastically supported both piloted space flight and nonpiloted space exploration.
Before being elected to the Congress, he was the mayor of Monterey Park, California. Later he was elected to the California State Assembly where he worked on labor and environmental legislation. In fact, he introduced the first bill in the Nation to ban lead in gasoline in the early 1960s.
He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1962 where he fought for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and worked hard to stop U.S. participation in the Vietnam War. His career of public service spanned more than 40 years. He truly was a legislator for all seasons and the breadth of his interests spanned many horizons, from space exploration to social justice.
Mr. Speaker, this House is a better place because George Brown served here. I am proud to have known him and the country has moved forward because of his service in this Chamber.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) who will yield to other Members from California.
Mr. LEWIS of California. I appreciate my colleague yielding. It is my privilege to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
Mr. CALVERT. I thank the gentleman for yielding. George Brown. I am a conservative. George was an unabashed liberal. We were opposites in this business. But most importantly, George was my friend. I certainly put forth my sympathy to the family, Marta, everyone that is here today.
I have got to talk about my first memory of George Brown. I was in our family restaurant in Corona, California. George was our Congressman. I think I was probably 11 years old or so at the time. He was sitting there with my father having a drink and smoking a cigar, arguing the issues of the day, very passionately. George was a very passionate person, someone who believed very strongly in what he believed in and would advocate those issues and beliefs very ably here on the floor.
As I mentioned, he was my Member of Congress since I was a young boy and all through high school. As a young Republican campaigning for people against George in the early days, I remember one time George giving me a call one time and we had an opponent running against him. He called me up and he said, ``Can you get that guy to run against me one more time?'' He always had a sense of humor. He always participated in debates.
I have got to admit, one time we had a debate and he came up to the podium, and he looked over at the audience and he said, ``Look. I'm overweight, I probably smoke too much, I don't dress as well as I should.'' Everybody looked at him aghast. He looked over at his opponent and said, ``I just thought I'd point that out before my opponent did.''
He had a great way about him. He endeared himself to all of us. George, most importantly, was known for the business that he conducted here in the House. Certainly he was a chairman of the Committee on Science, was known as Mr. Science. He had a deep love of science and the institutional framework for science and technology in this government.
In the mid 1960s and again in the 1980s, he led an effort to restructure and strengthen the National Science Foundation, moving the agency into a much more active role in engineering, science education and the development of advanced technologies. He developed legislation shaping the permanent science advisory mechanism in the Executive Office of the President, which was established in 1976 as the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He was a strong proponent of environmental preservation and of science and technology in the service of society.
I would like to think that George would be very interested in what we are trying to do in technology advancement for clean air, especially as regards components such as sulfur and other issues that we are advocating today in this House.
George championed the establishment of the EPA and the Office of Technology Assessment in the early 1970s. He helped advance initiatives for energy and resource conservation, sustainable agriculture, national information systems, advanced technology development, and just so much more in the integration of technology in education.
He enthusiastically supported both manned and unmanned space exploration. What an advocate on the floor. We worked together as Californians for the space program and he was an excellent advocate for space. His reputation on the Committee on Science helped him bring NASA participation and support for schools and businesses throughout the Nation and his district.
On a personal level, we put together a Salton Sea Advisory Committee. Five of us originally, myself, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), Sonny Bono, George, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter). I remember one meeting that we had in Sonny Bono's office, this was in December, just before Christmas, we were all talking about what we were going to do to save the Salton Sea. This was something that was so passionate to George. He loved the sea. He was raised there by the sea, in Imperial County, and wanted to see something done for future generations for the sea and for the environment around the sea.
Shortly thereafter, Sonny was gone, and now George. So two out of the five original members of the Salton Sea Advisory Committee are gone. But now we have new Members. Mary Bono is working hard to see the future of the sea and the rest of us. It is, I think, our responsibility in George's memory to make sure that we do the right thing and to make sure that the Salton Sea is something that everyone has a pleasant memory of in the future.
In his memory, we are renaming the Salinity Laboratory on the UCR campus the George Brown Salinity Laboratory. It is just one small example of his work but one that really shows his devotion to science and his love of what we are trying to do in this country to make it a better country for all of us as Americans.
Mr. Speaker, with that I would like to say I am going to miss George, I am going to miss seeing George right over here on the House floor on a daily basis and going over and having our daily chats, chitchatting about what is going on at home in the Inland Empire and working with him to make the Inland Empire a better place. But I will work hard to make our area a better place for our constituents. It is going to be more difficult without George.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, as you can see, George Brown was not only loved in southern California but also in other States. The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is from Marin County. He was loved in the north as well as in the south.
Ms. WOOLSEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a most wonderful person, our former colleague and friend George Brown. I want to reflect on a comment from a poem that was read at Representative Brown's memorial service by his son. For me, the essence of that poem, ``How Do You Live Your Dash,'' sums up why I so respected and admired George Brown. George's ``dash,'' those 79 years between his birth in 1920 and his passing this summer is the symbol of a person who witnessed, participated in and positively impacted many, many of the most important events of modern American life.
Years before George formally entered political life, he was actively engaged in the social and political issues facing our country. As a student at UCLA, George helped create cooperative student housing. He worked to break the racial color barrier by organizing the first integrated campus housing in the late 1930s. He was a conscientious objector during World War II and worked in a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Oregon. Yet later he decided to join the military and served as a second lieutenant in the Army.
After the war, returning to Los Angeles, he continued his work, organizing city workers and calling for veterans housing.
In 1964, George was elected to the Monterey Park city council. Building on his past activism, his political work and style was a true reflection of his values. Always the gentleman legislator, as a city councilman, in the State Assembly or as a Member of this body, George was guided by his belief that through persuasion and reason, he could and he would build a better society.
As we all know, Mr. Brown cultivated a polite and courtly style of debate, often tinged with humor and with self-deprecation. He believed that public service was a noble calling and he demonstrated in his ensuing 45 plus years in the political arena that one individual can make a difference.
In 1962, he was elected to Congress. Thirty years later, I was fortunate to be elected to Congress and to become a member of his Committee on Science when he was the chair. In recent years, as chair of the Committee on Science, George began to challenge the scientific community to reflect on the social implications of their work and the ethical obligations that come with their high standing.
Every day I mourn the loss of this gentleman leader. I sometimes wonder how we will meet the demands of a world and a Nation challenged by the need for a technically educated workforce without our leader George Brown.
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Mr. Speaker, it was truly an honor to have known and served with George. His years spent on Earth, his dash, as his son reminded us, is the story and legacy of a wonderful person.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton), a member of the Committee on Science.
Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlemen from California, Mr. Farr and Mr. Lewis, for organizing this tribute to George Brown.
Mr. Speaker, I am tempted to speak for the Record, as we all do here, and go over the distinguished points of George's life as he was a Member here in terms of his support for NASA and the Space Station before it was even a priority with him, what he did in setting up the Office of Science and Technology in the White House, and of a whole variety of things; the environment, and a series of things like this.
But I would really like to, and I am not sure whether that is appropriate, but I would really like to speak to Marta and the family, because I felt that George was sort of one of my family when I was here.
I am a Republican. I did not go to the Democratic Caucuses. I many times voted differently from George, but I always felt I was on the same wave length.
I will mention, what specifically keyed this to me was our fight for the Office of Technology Assessment. We both believed in science, George coming from a more academic and political atmosphere, and I coming from more of a business atmosphere. But we believed that it was important that this body have a scientific group that interpreted new science as it was coming along, new technology that was being applied in the workplace, so we could gear our legislation more to those things which are important for our future, rather than becoming just a commodity producer, which we would rapidly regret. So we fought the good fight and we lost, but in the losing of it, we forged a tremendous bond of respect.
First of all, about his appreciation of science, I am a big believer of this. I think all of us here feel this way, that the reason our country is what it is is obviously because of the human endeavor and the enterprise, but the ability to take chances and to reach out.
Marta, you and your family come from the State that is doing it all now. What is happening in Silicon Valley is the thing that is going to determine the next century, and maybe even beyond that. He believed in that. He thought it was endemic, he thought it was important for the very lives we were leading every single day, not just scientists, not just politicians, but schoolchildren.
But also, it gave me an opportunity to know George as a human being. There are a lot of people we meet around here that are sort of different. They have their own ideas. They are all bright, they are all motivated, they are all decent, they have high integrity, but there is always something special about the chemistry between people. I always felt I had this with George.
I really do not have a lot more to say, other than thank you for letting us share the life of your husband with us.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those very dear and personal remarks.
I yield to another colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my California colleague and the chairman of the Democratic delegation of the State of California for yielding.
I think for the American people that are tuned in this evening and listening to us after hours, that this is a little different than what they are exposed to during the day in our very heated debates that sometimes generate more heat than cast light. But this is a very worthy program to tune into. This is when I think Members of the House really rise and exhibit the best of what America is about, when we recognize the humanity that is here in this Chamber.
So tonight we not only mourn the passing of our colleague, our beautiful colleague, that beautiful human being, George Brown, but it is an evening for remembering him, as well. So I join with not only my California colleagues, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis), who has so ably chaired the Republican delegation from California, a very dear friend of George Brown's, but the rest of our colleagues in remembering him and what he brought not only to this institution but to the country that we have all come here to serve.
All of the States are memorialized here in our Chamber, and we from California are so proud of this son of California, and what he did here.
I do not think that there are really any words that do justice to George Brown, because he was a very full figure, not only physically, but he had so many dimensions to him. Every time I look at this desk, I picture him leaning there. No matter how full this Chamber ever was, I knew exactly where to find George Brown, to either ask him how he was, what was happening in the committee, what he thought about a vote, or just in general, how everything was. You would find him leaning right there.
I always thought, a penny for your thoughts, George. What do you think as you look out at us? Because he was a very knowing individual.
I have the privilege of coming onto the Committee on Science as a freshman, and before I was sworn in we had something in California, and I am trying to remember, was it the California Institute that had put it together, and it was the day after the elections.
I went to George Brown because he was there at this, where all of the Californians were gathered, and said, I would like to serve on your committee. And he put that wonderful arm around me, he was like a big California bear with a big heart, and said, I would love to have you on my committee, Anna. And that was my welcome. It is not that easy to get on a committee in the Congress, and what a welcome that was.
You could find George Brown. Unlike any other person in this House, if you wanted to find him at his office, you could. When you walked in the door, he was not returning other people's phone calls. Do Members know what he was doing? He was reading the journals, the technical journals, the scientific journals that had been published, that masterful intellect applied to the good of our Nation.
In 1961 President John Kennedy challenged America to put a human being on the moon before the end of 1969. That was a huge challenge. We take for granted what happened, and thousands of individuals throughout our country listened to this call and took him up on his seriousness, and what that meant not only for our Nation but what it meant for us as a Nation, as a global leader. Many worked in their own significant way to accomplish that feat. One of them was George Brown.
How indebted we are to him as a Nation for his leadership and his courage. Many of us, as I said, take these decisions for granted and these accomplishments for granted once they take place, but it always takes individuals of courage and vision to make them happen.
I think George Brown always made sure that we were looking toward the stars. I think that just as we had Americans that walked on the moon that were launched, that he today is walking among the stars and in heaven. He certainly has earned it. We are, indeed, a grateful body, and we are grateful to his constituents for sending him to us. He was a gentle man, he was a refined legislator, he was a proud Californian, he was a compassionate human being, and I thought that when God called him, that he could really answer and say, you didn't call me to be successful, you called me to be faithful. And that he was, to what he believed in and what was best in humanity. He never left anyone behind.
I think for that reason, Marta, he walks now not only among the stars but among the saints. Thank you for sharing George Brown with us. God bless you, George. I will always picture you standing there at that bench, and I do not think that there is anyone that could ever come into the Congress to take your place. You will always, always be a Member here and part of our delegation.
Mr. FARR of California. I thank the gentlewoman very much.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), George Brown's colleague in concern about the Salton Sea and many other things.
Mrs. BONO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, inscribed in an office building in California's capital Elipse is the quote, ``Give me men to match my mountains.'' My late friend and colleague, George Brown, was such a man. No one knows this better than his wife, Marta, his family, friends, and his loyal staff members.
Today our thoughts and prayers are with George and those who loved him. A great man of modest origins, George was neither pretentious nor physically imposing, but the strength of his convictions and the depth of his intellect combined with an unwavering belief in the ideals that he held dear made him a welcome ally and formidable foe.
Although I do not share his liberal philosophy, I share the commitment he had to fighting for what he believed was right. George Brown recalled a more gentle era of politics and, indeed, society. With his rumpled trappings and self-effacing style, always courteous in debate, George could charm his opponents while subtly skewering them with the scientific precision of his arguments.
Although he was the physical embodiment of the old cigar-smoking pol, he always talked straight and let the public know where he stood on the issues. He never hid his politics within smoke-filled back rooms, nor did he waiver from his liberal beliefs that defined his political philosophy.
George was also ahead of his time. Long before it was politically correct, he was a champion of civil rights. Decades before the Vietnam War, he was a conscientious objector to wars, although he later served his country as a second lieutenant in the Army.
Before the term ``environmentalist'' became fashionable, he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Oregon, and, of course, as a scientist he advocated the use of science to improve not only the lives of everyday Americans, but also to lay the foundation for a better world.
As the distinguished chairman of the House Committee on Science, he never allowed partisanship to interfere with the integrity of his scientific principles. Really, that is the greatest lesson I learned from this wonderful man. Regardless of the issue, George believed that you could work together to find common ground, that rancor and political attacks had no place in a civilized institution. He may have disagreed with your politics, but he would never treat you as less of a person because of your political differences.
I had the privilege and pleasure of working closely with George on an issue that was close to both of our hearts, saving California's Salton Sea. George probably knew more about the problems facing the sea and the relevant science than any other Member of Congress. As a scientist, he probably knew more than many of the experts who are currently working to find a solution to this looming environmental crisis.
He was born and raised near the sea, and spent years studying its decline. He was passionate in his belief that he could restore it. That is what I will always remember about George Brown, his quiet certitude that our democratic system can be made to work if we are only willing to work together. George proved time and time again that you could find common ground to advance a common good. I will try to honor his memory by following his example.
I want to say also to his widow, Marta, I remember sharing many, many a plane ride with George and Marta Brown between the Capitol here and Southern California. Every time we flew together George and Marta had a wonderful embrace for me after I lost my husband, Sonny.
I have spoken with Marta on a couple of occasions about her beliefs and her dedication to public service and her dedication to also restoring the Salton Sea. I just want to wish Marta Brown the greatest of strength and God speed in the years ahead.
Mr. FARR of California. I thank the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono) for those beautiful remarks. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), a person on whose shoulders the last few days of this session are dependent, the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations, the former chair, a good friend of George Brown.
Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentleman for yielding, Mr. Speaker.
I remember the first time I ever met George Brown. I came in that door on the side of the Chamber. I was elected on April Fools Day of 1969. George came up to me right after Easter when we got back, he came up to me, and I had not met him before. He said, my friend, Bob Kastenmeier, tells me you are to be trusted. And I did not know what that meant, I did not know who he was. But that was his way of introducing himself to me.
I asked Bob Kastenmeier the next time I saw Bob, I said, tell me about this George Brown fellow. Well, he said, he is a gutsy antiwar hero.
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He is a staunch defender of civil liberties, he is an absolute believer in civil rights and, he said, he is the ultimate rational man. And I think that really does describe George.
He did yeoman's service here as a Member of the Committee on Agriculture and as chairman of the Committee on Science. But I think his greatest service to the House was simply his uncompromising political integrity and his uncompromising disdain for hypocrisy, which we often find a lot of in this town.
I often kidded George. I told him that he reminded me of that wonderful character on British television, ``Rumpold of the Bailey,'' the British barrister who constantly defended unpopular causes, much to the chagrin of his law firm and his wife. And I told George that I thought not only did he have a slight resemblance to Leo McKern, the actor who played the part, but that also his style was the same, because he really did stand up for causes and people who had very few defenders, and that is what this institution often needs.
Mr. Speaker, I think this place will miss him greatly. He was a superb public servant. He served California well. He served the country well, and I am grateful that after he ran for the Senate, he returned to this body and graced us with his many years of service, teaching us every day that public interest comes before private interest.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), a member of the Committee on Science.
Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) for yielding me this time. It is a pleasure to speak here about George Brown, even though it is also tinged with a good deal of sadness.
I knew about George Brown a long time before I met him. In fact, my first acquaintance with him dates back to the mid-1970s when, as a nuclear physicist and a county commissioner, I was appointed by the American Physical Society to the committee to select science fellows for Members of Congress. One of those we selected ended up working for Mr. Brown. I got to know him quite well and talked to him regularly and he has described Congressman Brown in very glowing terms. And after that, for some 20 years, I watched the progress of Mr. Brown and the wisdom of his work through the science media.
It was a pleasure when I first arrived in the Congress in early 1994 to make his personal acquaintance and to serve on the Committee on Science at the time, he was chairman. Also, I worked with him after the time when he became the ranking member and the Republicans were chairing that committee.
He was a striking person in many ways, and I found him to be a many-
dimensioned person. He was a gracious gentleman. At the same time, he was a great scholar. He was also a wise leader. In spite of that, he was self-deprecating and self-effacing. A marvelous person in so many different ways.
Mr. Speaker, what particularly struck me was that in a very partisan institution, he was willing to ignore partisanship to help a new Member to discuss the history of specific issues and also acquaint me with the history of previous actions of the Congress.
He was also very willing and freely gave of his advice to me as a newcomer and I found his advice very helpful. He was a great person in so many ways and so many senses of that phrase. We rarely meet great people throughout our lives, but when we do we immediately know that we are in the presence of greatness and we also appreciate it. That is the way it was with George Brown.
As I said, he was a great man. I knew it when I first met him. I appreciated it even more as I continued to work with him on science issues and we had a great kinship on that score.
I certainly appreciated him, the work he did, and particularly his friendship with me and his attitude towards the Congress and towards advancement of science. We will all miss him greatly, and I will especially miss him. I just wanted to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the members of the family and to thank them for their willingness to share George with us.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) very much, and I appreciate the remarks and I know the family does as well.
Mr. Speaker, the great State of Texas may be a big State, but it is not as big as the heart of George Brown. To speak for that State is the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson).
Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, unlike so many of our colleagues who have spoken, I did not know George Brown before I came to Congress. And when I learned that I would have the opportunity to work alongside the late George Brown, who served for 32 years on the Committee on Science, 32\1/2\ years of his 18 terms, I was quite pleased and thrilled, having been a high school science teacher for the time during the 1960s and watching and knowing of what his work consisted.
While Congressman Brown served as chairman of the Committee on Science during from 1991 to 1994 and ranking member from 1995 to 1999, he worked diligently to create the institutional framework necessary to bring science and technology into the Federal Government. And from the mid-1960s on, he led an effort to restructure and strengthen the National Science Foundation, moving the agency into much more active roles in engineering, science education, and the development of advanced technologies.
I guess I came to Congress expecting more camaraderie and less partisanship than what I have seen so far, but for me it was George Brown who I will remember as the statesman and the consensus builder on the Committee on Science. And in addition to that, he developed legislation that created what later became the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy and pushed for the development of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Technology Assessment.
Throughout his impeccable congressional career, George Brown pushed the envelope not only for NASA and the human space exploration program, but also, as we have already heard, for civil rights, the environment, even family farmers throughout the Nation.
While I was only able to spend 2\1/2\ years getting to know George, the stories that I have heard continue to make me smile and will keep him in my memory for an awful long time. Chairman George Brown cannot be replaced and he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Thank you and God bless the family.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield in turn to our colleague from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) who served several years with George Brown on the Committee on Science.
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I have to say, everybody has got a hushed tone tonight remembering George. I do not remember him in hushed tones. This guy was a fellow. He just had so much life about him and there was so much goodness about George Brown and he was right out front on everything.
He was certainly my chairman, he was my colleague, and he was a friend. He was chairman of the Committee on Science, and I was on the committee. I am still on that committee. I am now the chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, and every time he would come over once he lost that spot, we would always be happy because he was a treasure house of information. He was an institutional treasure to our committee and we have already felt his loss.
Let me note this: that as chairman of the Committee on Science, when he was chairman of the Committee on Science, he exercised his authority as fairly as anyone who has ever served in this body. So although we had some disagreements, he always, always was fair. I do not even remember one incident where I was angry at him because he did not give a Member the right amount of time or tried to cut off debate or short-
circuit someone else.
Now, we disagreed about things, but he was always right up front. In fact, one of the great things we know about George is that he never apologized about being a liberal. This man was unabashedly, no, he was bashed around for being a liberal I am sure, but he was unapologetic about being someone who believed that government should help people. That was his basic philosophy. Government should help people. It was as simple as that, because George Brown loved people.
Mr. Speaker, I am a conservative. I have a little bit more suspicion about government, and that is my philosophy. George respected that. There was no situation where he thought he was above me because he wanted to help people through government and I am suspicious of government. No, he was an honest Democrat as well. He believed in democracy and believed in this system.
Again, he treated differences, as we have heard today, with a great sense of humor. With his sense of humor he made this a really nice place and a good decent place to work and added a great deal to the cooperation we have had in this body.
Let me just say that being someone of a different philosophy, we ran people against George Brown. Here we are commemorating George Brown. Let us remember those of us on this side of the body ran good candidates against George Brown every time. Marta will certainly, I know, confirm that he had some tough races out there. But guess what? George Brown won every single race. Every time we put somebody up against him, his constituents returned him because as we found out, George Brown was much beloved by his constituents, Republicans and Democrats alike. We had trouble getting the Republicans not to vote for George Brown, they loved him so much.
The reason they loved him out there is because he loved them. There was a great deal of goodness and love in George Brown's heart. He was a man of integrity and that could be seen for sure early on in his life. We could see it here. But if one studies George Brown's history early on in his life, he took a stand against the war in Vietnam. He was one of the first ones to recognize what a great threat that was to the body. He did not wait for it to become trendy. He did not wait for it to become some issue where it was going to do him some good. George Brown was out fighting the war in Vietnam long before some of us realized.
Some of us on the conservative end of the spectrum say to ourselves perhaps that war went on too long before we realized where it was going and where it was taking America. Perhaps George Brown, who had the goodness and intent of trying to help his country, maybe he had some realizations in his heart. Plus, he was a champion of civil rights early on.
And, Mr. Speaker, I will say this as a conservative. Some of us who are suspicious of government have to look at people like George Brown and his early struggles in the civil rights movement and we have to feel a little bit embarrassed that it was an unabashed liberal who was taking care of protecting people's human and civil rights in this country. Some of us should have learned a lot from George Brown in that regard.
Finally, let me just say that George Brown, even though we ran candidates against him, never held a grudge. I remember him telling me right down there standing with me, ``Well, you fellows always run somebody against me. And even though Dave Dreier likes me a lot, I know that we are friends, but don't worry. We are going to work all of these things out and we have all of these things we have accomplish together.'' And sure enough, he never held a grudge and we worked so well together.
Mr. Speaker, he is going to be missed. I am going to miss him. Everybody else here is going to miss him. He loved us. He loved his constituents. He loved his country. He had a good heart and we loved him. I loved George Brown very much and I am going to miss him very much. My heart goes out to Marta and just condolences to the whole family. And I guess I cannot say much more except all of the great things that he did in the Committee on Science, they are going to go on helping America for a long, long time. A lot of people are going to benefit from those things. They are not going to remember George's name, because in 50 years none of our names are going to be remembered. But he has done a lot of good for this country and certainly those of us who served with him will never forget George Brown.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. Speaker, I would like to now call on the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps). She and the other gentlewoman from California
(Mrs. Bono) share something in common with Marta Brown. They have all lost their husbands while serving in Congress.
Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, with a sad heart and also a smile of remembrance, I rise to pay tribute to our beloved colleague, George Brown. I am very proud and honored to join my friends on the floor this evening to honor George's memory and to celebrate his life.
Let me first express my condolences to Marta, who joins us in the Chamber tonight, and to everyone else in George's large and wonderful family.
Mr. Speaker, I would say to her, ``Marta, I have been in your shoes. It is not easy. But your spirit and your strength in this difficult time have inspired all of us.''
I also want to send a special word of condolence to George's staff. I know from my own experience, and that of my staff who were Walter's staff, that they are doubly burdened. For 3 months they have been grieving for their leader, while at the same time working hard to continue to serve the people of the 42nd District in California, and my heart is with them.
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Mr. Speaker, this House has many national leaders. This House has many warm and decent people. George Brown was both. He was first elected during the Kennedy administration when Americans heard our young President promise that we would put a man on the moon.
Throughout his illustrious career, few Members in this body contributed as much to our successful space program as did George Brown. With his leadership on the Committee on Science, George kept our space policy on track. He knew that unlocking the secrets of the heaven's would benefit our quality of life here on earth.
As a fellow Californian who once served on his committee, I was awed by and so grateful for George's visionary work on the space program. He made such a mark on science education which will be felt for generations to come in every elementary science class and secondary science class throughout this country.
He made such a mark on the space exploration of this country which I think of each time I watch a launch at Vandenberg Air Force base in my district. Each time, I think of George Brown. That legacy will continue as long as there is space exploration in this country and even in this world.
But, Mr. Speaker, as effective a Member as George was, he was an even better person. I will never forget the kindness and generosity that George extended to Walter and me when we first came to Washington in 1997. I will surely never forget George's warmth and comfort when Walter passed away.
After George died, many of us flew together to his memorial service in his district. Democrats, Republicans, Members from around the Nation, senior and junior Members alike, we spent many hours reminiscing about George.
We remembered his legislative victories. We again admired his dedication to the people of his district. We laughed about his sense of humor. We recalled his warmth and decency.
Being in his district for this memorial service gave me such a sense of the high esteem with which he was held and is held by the people he represented for so many years. This group that came together to memorialize him was such a diverse group that he held together throughout the decades that he served the 42nd District. This is a legacy also which is a model for our country and for the leaders in this House.
All of us in Congress join with George's family and staff and his constituents to mourn his passing. We will all miss him. But we are also thankful to God for the precious time we had with him. We ask God's continued blessing upon his family, his precious family, his district, and the legacy which he leaves to us all.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from San Francisco, California (Ms. Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr) for calling this special order. It gives us an opportunity to say a good-bye to George Brown, which is heartfelt, nonetheless very sad.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that we mark the passing of our dear friend. But this is a very special special order because it brings some closure. I do not think a day goes by that most of us do not come to this floor to vote when we expect to see George sitting in his regular seat.
As we are accustomed to saying here in the House, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of my colleagues who have spoken before, because I think they have spoken very, very eloquently, and it is a compliment to be associated with their remarks because this man was very special. But I think that our colleagues have captured him.
As I associate myself with the remarks of my colleagues, I will just say a few personal remarks. George was an inspiration. We all know that. He was a leader, as has been acknowledged. He was an intellectual, and we all benefit from that. He was also a politician, a political leader. In California, he is a legend and has been, really, for a very long time.
When he, representing the district that he did, took the stands that he did, it was with great courage. It would be easy for someone from my district to speak out against the Vietnam War and to vote against the military spending at the time. It was not easy for George Brown. But he did it anyway.
We all benefited from the fact that he was a student of nuclear engineering. When I say ``we all'', I mean every person in this country, because we had the benefit of his thinking. We continue to have the benefit of his thinking because of the legacy that he has left.
Not a day, again, goes by when we do not miss him, do not think we are going to see him in the Chamber, but we do have the benefit of the ideas that he has put forth and the leadership that he has provided and the way he has translated all of the ideas that he has in his knowledge of science and engineering into public policy, into a better future for our country.
He was genuinely interested and curious about all complex issues and the debates that swirled around the development of modern science and technology. So he was a very fascinating man.
I want to say that we will miss his sense of humor, his civility, his deep commitment to public service. I, and the constituents of my district join me, extend our deepest sympathy to Marta, to the Brown family, to his constituents, to his staff, to his friends, all of whose lives he touched, enriched, and changed for the better.
With that and with great love, George Brown, we will miss you every single day we serve here, and we will always be grateful for the memory you have provided for us.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that we mark the passing of a dear friend and a long-time Member of this Chamber, George E. Brown, Jr.
George was an inspiration. I know the constituents of his San Bernardino district remember him with great fondness and respect. He was a distinguished and dedicated public servant who served in this House with great dignity for 35 years. In my opinion, George should be remembered, above all, as a man of high principle. He was first elected in 1962 and frequently spoke out against excessive military spending and America's involvement in the Vietnam War. He maintained his principles and, during the tumult and shouting of the 1960s, routinely voted against military spending for a war that was, in his careful and considered analysis, an unjust intervention.
Since his days as a student of nuclear engineering and, later, as a working physicist, George took a strong and focused interest in modern technology, the advancement of the sciences, and, of course, space exploration. As Chairman and ranking Democrat of the House Science Committee, he helped shape and define the evolution of the National Science Foundation, NASA's International Space Station, and other significant endeavors that engaged the best minds in American science and technology.
George was genuinely interested in, and curious about, all of the complex issues and debates that have swirled around the development of modern science and technology. His palpable excitement belied his position as the oldest Member of the House in the 106th Congress. For many years, he served ably as Dean of the California Congressional delegation, and George leaves us with the distinction of representing California longer than any other member of Congress. His influence and legacy will continue to define the work of this body.
We will miss George, his principled ways, his sense of humor, his civility, and his deep commitment to public service.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to his widow, Marta Macias Brown, to the Brown family, his constituents, and his friends and colleagues, all of whose lives he touched, enriched, and changed.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) very much for those beautiful words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) for a moment.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield to the gentleman from Long Beach, California (Mr. Horn).
Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr) for this very moving ceremony. So many people have said so many wonderful things. They are all true.
I first met George Brown in January of 1963 when he came here as a new, fresh, young congressman. I was then the legislative assistant to Senator Thomas H. Kuchel, the senior Senator and Republican whip from California. He called me and said, ``Steve, I hear a lot of good things about this fine young man. Go over and give him my best.'' And I did. George Brown was, from the very beginning, noted by people in the House as well as some in the Senate that he was a very decent person.
When I came back here 30 years later we renewed our acquaintanceship. I used to kid George ``One of these days, George, the Legislature is going to redistrict you into some suburb of Las Vegas''. That was because he had kept moving east from his first election in Los Angeles County. When George came to the House, he served on the Committee on Agriculture. In those days, Los Angeles County was the No. 1 Agricultural County in the Nation in the value of its crops.
Over 18 terms in the House, George moved from Monterey Park, then Colton, then Riverside, then Colton, then Riverside, then San Bernardino, then Riverside, then San Bernardino again. No other Member of the House has had that many different residences moving in one direction as George was able to do.
As the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) said, the Republicans always sought to defeat him, but they never could because he loved his constituency, and they loved him.
Then in 1993, George was in a key role to help pull the California delegation together. His ally in this was Carlos Morehead on the Republican side. In 1993, when Jane Harman and I came here as two freshmen, we were designated to work with George and Carlos on the executive committee of the Democratic and Republican delegations. Our aim was to work for economic development in southern California.
From March 1988, 400,000 people had been let go in the aerospace industry. We had a major crisis as a result of the end of the Cold War and the economic recession. Carlos and George pulled the delegation together. The delegation had not met for 8 years and it was a disgrace. The two Senators would come over at all our meetings. Ron Packard, Carlos, and George led the delegation to work together.
George always had a great sense of humor. When I saw him on the floor, I once asked him what he thought of some of the Democratic Presidential candidates in the 1960s. George's sense of humor was terrific, which I cannot repeat here, but it gets down to a one word description for each one, and it was not the same word for each one. He had suitably captured the personality, values, and interests that seemed to be encompassed in that word. I would smile through the rest of the day.
We have heard every Member practically talk about his decency and his scholarship. That was true. He was a real human being. He is the kind of person we do not forget, and he is the kind of person we ought to have in the House of Representatives, one who stands up for his principles yet can work with everybody else who might have different principles.
Nini and I extend condolences to the family. We worked with a great legend. We all respected him.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of my good friend and colleague, George E. Brown, Jr. George was a man of many accomplishments, who led by work and example. He was the leader of the California delegation and led our state on many issues of importance. George came to the U.S. Congress after an illustrious career in California where he had served as a city councilman and mayor of Monterey Park. Subsequently, he was elected to the California State Assembly where he authored legislation providing public employees the right to bargain collectively and foreshadowing his many environmental efforts in the House; he also introduced the first ban of lead in gasoline in the nation.
George was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1962. He was in the forefront of fighting for passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and many of us remember that picture of him with President Johnson, Martin, Robert Kennedy and Rosa Parks hanging in his office. He protested the Vietnam war when it was not popular to do so. To give leadership to the anti-Vietnam war movement and the Civil Rights movement, George made a brave but unsuccessful run for the Senate in 1970. As a result of the census reapportionment, a new House seat was created and in 1972, George returned to his beloved Congress to serve the people in communities where he was raised, the Inland Empire.
In the 1960's and again in the 80's George guided the National Science Foundation into a more progressive position, refocusing it on engineering, science education, and the development of advanced technologies. George Brown became Chairman of the House Science Committee in 1991. While Chair, he was an innovator in both Science and Technology, always looking to the future and to our nation's progress as the path to follow. He brought creativity and innovation to the House Science Committee and he was instrumental in creating what we now think of as the framework for science and technology in the federal government.
Ahead of the mainstream, he shaped our nation's science for good by bringing its oversight into the Executive Office and establishing the Office of Science and Technology Policy. By doing so, he made science and technology truly a national priority which provided the impetus to the research initiatives so important to the great research and technology enterprises in our country and especially in California.
I was fortunate to have developed a friendship with George when we worked closely together on California base conversions, an issue of the utmost importance to my district, the 9th Congressional District of California. George was a tenacious fighter for the public good; many of us could learn from his great example. Even when the Democrats lost their majority in 1994, George remained influential.
Earlier, I mentioned George's leadership in the California Assembly on environmental protections issues. In the House, he also recognized the importance of protecting the ozone layer and other elements of environmental health as well as championing the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Technology Assessment.
His courtly style and hard work made him a favorite in his district; he respected all points of view and all parties respected him in turn, making him a formidable advocate and effective negotiator on the side of the liberal and moderate. I will truly miss my friend George Brown.
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and former Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, I want to express my deepest sympathies for the passing of my colleague, friend, and mentor, George Brown.
It has been a true honor to serve with George in the House of Representatives. I have had the privilege of knowing George for years, since he served with my father, Congressman Edward R. Roybal, for over two decades.
George was the oldest current House member and the longest serving member of the House or Senate in the history of the state of California, as well as the top Democratic Member on the House Science Committee and a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee.
George served as Chairman of the House Science Committee during the 102nd and 103rd Congresses and was probably best known in Congress for his work on the science and technology issues under his committee's jurisdiction. As an energetic proponent of the environment, Brown championed the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Technology Assessment in the early 1970s.
George was a person of integrity, intelligence, and respect, who never failed to stand up for what he believed. George worked to bring down the color barrier at the University of California, Los Angeles by organizing the first integrated campus housing in the late 1930's. In the 1940's he helped organize Los Angeles city workers. Later, in Congress, Brown fought for passage of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. He was one of the first outspoken critics of the Vietnam War and stood his ground by voting against every defense spending bill during the Vietnam era.
George was also friend and role model to me and countless other members of Congress and staff. George paved the way for me to become the first woman to chair the California Democratic Congressional Delegation. Not confined to the dictates of seniority or protocol, George encouraged me to run for the chairmanship, recognizing the value of inclusion and promoting new leadership.
George was an outstanding legislator, individual, and friend and he will be dearly missed.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, George Brown, Jr., who passed away last summer, was not only a colleague but a personal friend. I had the privilege of working with George for many years, here in the House of Representatives and in the City of Monterey Park. During this time, I grew to respect him as a man of great integrity, commitment, and kindness.
I first met George in the mid-1950s when he was the head of the Democratic Club and a City Councilman in Monterey Park. At that time, I did not know that I would someday have the opportunity to represent many of the same people. Because of his tremendous knowledge and enthusiasm for public service, he developed a bond with the residents of Monterey Park that lasts to this day. George was a leader who inspired people to community service. He had the ability to fill meeting halls to capacity. His unwavering commitment to public service earned him the respect and loyalty of the people of his district and the surrounding communities.
Many may remember when George was arrested on the steps of the Capitol for joining with a group of Quakers in a protest against the war in Vietnam. I have often thought about this as an example of his commitment to his beliefs. Even on points where there was disagreement, George's integrity was never in question. He was firm in his convictions and willing to stand up for his beliefs.
I have no doubt that George Brown will be remembered as one of California's greatest statesmen. His presence in this Chamber is missed.
Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to both a colleague and friend, George Brown.
I had the privilege of serving on the Science Committee during George's tenure as Chairman, and valued the opportunity to learn from his leadership. George and I worked together on many occasions in support of interests important to our native southern California. George may forever be remembered for his ability to bring together all Californians serving in Congress.
George believed in the power of persuasion to settle differences. He was polite and courteous in his treatment of everyone on both sides of the aisle. George prided himself on working hard for his district. He was dedicated to the people of southern California and he will be greatly missed.
In George Brown, this institution has lost a distinguished Member of Congress, a faithful public servant, and a good man. George will be greatly missed, not only as a tireless advocate for the people of California's 42nd Congressional District, but as a close friend to those so fortunate to have known him.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Representatives Lewis and Farr for reserving this time to allow Members an opportunity to pay tribute and to honor the memory of our dear friend, the gentleman from California, George Brown. I am moved by their reserving this special order. In a genuine expression of bipartisanship, their efforts serve to highlight one of George Browns' greatest strengths. Throughout his long and distinguished career, George Brown worked diligently to build bonds with other Members from across the aisle. More often than not, he succeeded in these efforts. His constituents were wise to re-elect him to 18 terms of service in this House. George represented the 42nd District of California with distinction and honor. Serving the needs of his constituents, and making certain that their interests were protected were the basis of his long, distinguished commitment to public service.
Throughout my tenure in the House as well as my service on the Rules Committee--as Chairman and Ranking Member, I had the opportunity to work with George on a number of issues. His interest and leadership on issues as science and technology was strong. He had a wonderful ability to explain new technologies in ways that even those of us less aware of these technologies could understand their potential impacts. He was especially proud of his work to ensure that our schools would benefit from new advances in the area of educational technology. George Brown understood the importance of public education, he worked tirelessly to make certain that our young people would have access to the exciting worlds of science and technology.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am thankful that we have had this opportunity to honor George Brown. We will surely miss his presence and his civility here in the People's House. While he is no longer with us, his commitment to his constituents and to his nation will ensure that he is remembered for generations to come.
Farewell my friend.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, like the other Members who have spoken here before me, I have a special affection for our dearest friend George Brown. But unlike these other Members, I also have a special privilege--the privilege of attempting to carry on Congressman Brown's work as Ranking Democrat on the Science Committee.
This is no easy task. More than anyone I could ever imagine, George Brown was born to be the Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Two fires burned within George. On the one hand, he devoted his mediations and tailored his actions toward achieving justice and equality for all those in our society. In his 35th year in Congress, he continued to take the time to read the works of the ancients--Greek, Roman, Eastern and Middle Eastern--as well as the works of modern philosophers. He, like them, was obsessed with the concept of social justice and how its pursuit would contribute to an ideal society.
But even more so, George loved science, space, and technology. George came from humble beginnings in Holtville--in the heart of the hot and arid farmlands of the Imperial Valley. From the beginning George was an extraordinary student. He graduated from high school at the age of sixteen and, in the year or two between high school and UCLA, read nearly every book in the Holtville library. Science moved him even then. He studied the stars, read technical journals, and devoured science fiction. One can imagine, perhaps as H.G. Wells ``War of the Worlds'' played on the radio, a seventeen-year-old scholar with the body of a linebacker, looking up at the crystal-clear desert starlight and imagining the wonders of human and robotic space exploration.
George would speak about two Members of Congress who taught him valuable lessons about the institution. In his freshman term, George served on the Education Committee. The Chairman, Adam Clayton Powell, quickly learned of George's interest in post-secondary education and training and gave the freshman Member from California the lead on re-
authorization of many of those programs. It was a lesson George never forgot and one he often repeated with young, inexperienced Members of the Science Committee from both sides of the aisle. There are many current and former Members of the Science Committee who can point to significant legislative accomplishments that they are able to claim because of Chairman Brown's modesty and support.
He also talked frequently about my fellow Texan Olin ``Tiger'' Teague, who chaired the Science Committee in the 1970s. There were no two Members of the Democratic Caucus further apart politically than George and Tiger. But each had a deep respect for the other's fairness and honesty. Tiger developed the habit, when confronted with a thorny political problem on the Committee, of calling George into his office and asking for George's advice on how to solve the problem most justly. George himself adopted this practice. Any Member--conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat--who was sincere and had done his or her homework would get a fair hearing from Chairman Brown. In my ten Congresses, I have not seen a Chairman who was more fair to his Committee Members than George Brown was.
George leaves a large and important legacy in this institution and particularly in the Science Committee. I am honored both to be part of these remembrances this evening and to have a small role in trying to continue that legacy.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I only served with George for a few years from January 1995 until his passing just a short time ago. But while I served with George just these few years, I will never forget this man whose influence on our country and its future is so profound.
In truth, I first became aware of George Brown while working for my predecessor in office, Congressman Don Edwards. At the time the nation faced the challenge of war in Southeast Asia. Early on, American opinion was not divided as it would later be. There were few who were willing to question. Don Edwards was one of them. So was George Brown. Whatever your view of America's role in that conflict, the courage to do one's job as a legislator--to ask the tough questions and to stand for what one believed in does command respect. George Brown was always a person who would stand up for what he believed in.
When I was elected to the 104th Congress, I asked to be assigned to the Science Committee where George Brown was serving as ranking Member. At the time all of the former Chairmen of Committees were adjusting to new roles in the minority. Some former Chairmen, quite frankly, had a hard time coping with this new role. George Brown rose to the occasion. Who wouldn't rather be in charge? But he understood the important role he could play by using his knowledge as a resource for the whole Congress--both Democrats and Republicans. I came to understand that if George Brown gave advice on Science Policy it was a good bet that it was exactly what our country should do. And while the 104th Congress definitely had its rocky moments, as the months wore on it became clear that George Brown was commanding respect on both sides of the aisle.
I doubt that all of the scientists in America understand how much is owed to George for his vision and understanding about science. Can all the American citizens fully appreciate how much poorer would be our economy and our quality of life--how much more limited our future--
without the years of advocacy for sound science policies that George led? But George did his work not for the glory, but for the satisfaction that he was making a difference. He was never afraid to do what was right and he was smart enough to figure out, in the complex field of science, what was the correct course.
George was widely rumored over the years to be contemplating retirement. When I first heard that rumor, I wrote him an impassioned multi-page letter asking him to stay and letting him know how much his leadership on science would not only be missed in this House, but in the world. He listened to those of us who begged him to stay and we were grateful.
Shortly before George left us, he told the Democratic Members of the California Delegation that we could count on him: He would run for reelection and would do his best to win. While he didn't get that chance, I will always remember that he was willing to go full measure for America. Whether as a soldier in World War II or a soldier in the effort to support science, he served his country with valor, with intelligence and with distinction. I am grateful to him for his many kindnesses to me, his wit and his wisdom, for the example he made for younger Members of his House about integrity and commitment as well as for his love and dedication to his family.
I miss George a great deal. Despite all of the talented people working on Science Issues in this House, none of us can claim the experience, expertise and wise leadership that George gave the country in this arena. We will try to fill in the gaps his parting left. I, for one, feel grateful to have known him to have served with him. I feel lucky that I had the change to tell him how much I admired him while he was still living. I miss him and join with my colleague tonight in honoring his life and his contributions.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, America lost its foremost science advocate, a statesman, and a tremendous human being when my colleague and friend, George Brown, passed away. As a Member and later Chairman and Ranking Member of the Science Committee, George was a forceful and tireless advocate for science. Whether it was protecting a science account from attack or pushing the newest area of research, George was a true friend to the science community. I feel both sadness and inspiration when I look up to see George's likeness watching over the proceedings in the Science Committee's hearing room. Sadness at our loss but inspired to continue building upon the successes George made possible. I am hopeful that his portrait will serve as a constant reminder of George's commitment to our nation's science programs, his leadership, his friendship, his humor, and his compassion throughout his many years of service.
George's integrity and the strength of his word were never in doubt. He could be a forceful advocate when needed and a bipartisan friend when deserved. Perhaps what was most remarkable about George was that even after sitting through hundreds and hundreds of presentations by researchers around the nation, George never lost a genuine delight in hearing of new science breakthroughs that would revolutionize tomorrow's world. When tomorrow's scientists find their next breakthrough discovery, I know in my heart that George will delight in their achievement.
Although George served for eighteen terms in the House, a remarkable achievement in itself, I don't think he ever enjoyed looking back as much as he cherished looking ahead. Earlier this year, George remarked,
``I've thought that science could be the basis for a better world, and that's what I've been trying to do all these years.'' Certainly George made his own strong contribution to making this a better world.
I ask all Members, to keep George's spirit alive as we proceed with our responsibilities during this Congress--with his respect for this institution foremost in our minds and his joy of public service and his friendship in our hearts.
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