S6030 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 3, 1995

Discrimination in Employment Claims Assistance Act, the Gender Equity in Education Act, the Voting Accessibility for Disabled and Senior Citizens Act, the 1989 Minimum Wage Increase, the Hate Crimes Statistics Act, and key provisions of the Economic

Equity Act.

Without question, the past decade and a

half has been, legislatively, a bipartisan reaffirmation of civil rights laws and a bipartisan repudiation of the right-wing legal philosophy. Indeed, the right wing did not enact

one major item on its regressive civil rights

agenda during that time. The LCCR victories

are even more remarkable when one considers that during this time two branches of

government were hostile to civil rights.

While the civil rights coalition and its congressional allies achieved considerable success, there was a serious downside to the

Reagan-Bush years. We had to refight the

civil rights battles that had been won during

the 1960’s and the 1970’s. While these battles

were won once again, Congress, the civil

rights community, and the Nation had to devote an inordinate amount of time, energy

and resources in waging these rearguard actions. Consequently, while the legal achievements of the past 30 years were preserved

and in a number of instances, strengthened,

the Nation by and large was unable to address the unfinished agenda of the civil

rights movement—the quest for social and

economic justice.

For years, Ralph and his LCCR colleagues

have been advocating that economic justice

must be the civil rights coalition’s top priority. Our legislative efforts should focus primarily on such issues as health care; affordable housing; economic security, especially

for women and children; child care; Head

Start and other early educational opportunities; employment opportunity, including job

creation and job training; and economic

empowerment issues. Regrettably, just as

this economic opportunity agenda seemed to

be moving to the front of the legislative line,

once again we may have to devote our energies to resisting efforts to dismantle the legislative achievements of the past several

decades.

While the battles will be hard fought, I remain confident that LCCR and its allies will

once again defeat the efforts of the right

wing, whether the issue be affirmative action

or the economic security net for millions of

Americans. Indeed, the same type of bipartisanship, creativity, and pragmatism that

characterized our efforts in the 1980’s and

early 1990’s will lead us to victory in the last

half of the 1990’s.

THE EXPLOSIVE INSTITUTIONAL GROWTH OF THE

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

While the legislative successes are critically important, it is also important to point

out the institutional successes as well. The

fourteen years Ralph has spent managing

LCCR have been characterized by explosive

growth. The budget of the Leadership Conference has grown seven-fold since 1981. And

the Leadership Conference, always the Nation’s largest coalition, has added more than

50 new national organizations, during this

time. Some of the new members are the

American Association of Retired Persons

(AARP), the Association of Junior Leagues,

the Disability Rights Education and Defense

Fund, the American Association of University Women, the Mexican American Legal

Defense and Education Fund, the Service

Employees International Union, the Congress of National Black Churches, the American Nurses Association, the Puerto Rican

Legal Defense and Education Fund, Families

USA, the National PTA, People For The

American Way, the United Brotherhood of

Carpenters and Joiners of America, the

Human Rights Campaign Fund, Citizen Action, and the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium. There are now 180

national organizations, with memberships

totaling more than 50 million Americans,

who belong to the Leadership Conference on

Civil Rights.

Such institutional growth has meant also

the expansion of LCCR priorities. In addition

to minority, gender, religious, and age issues, the Leadership Conference has forged a

consensus on disability and gay and lesbian

civil rights issues. The exceptional growth of

the coalition, while generating new challenges, has made the Leadership Conference

stronger and even more effective.

Throughout the years, Ralph has masterfully maintained unity among the diverse

elements of the LCCR coalition. And through

his work in LCCR, on Capitol Hill, with the

Executive Branch, and with the business

community, Ralph has earned respect for his

ability to build bridges between disparate

communities of interest and across the spectrum of political ideologies.

Ralph has also managed the Leadership

Conference Education Fund (LCEF), an independent organization that supports educational activities relevant to civil rights.

Along with Karen McGill Arrington, LCEF’s

Deputy Director, he has supervised projects

such as an award winning public service advertising campaign promoting tolerance and

diversity; a children’s anti-discrimination

campaign; and the publication of books and

reports on emerging civil rights issues.

RALPH’S NEW CAREER

To say the least, things have not slowed

down during Ralph’s final months as LCCR’s

Executive Director. He was a key strategist

in the successful effort to defeat the Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment.

Presently, he is coordinating the campaign

to save affirmative action. In addition,

Ralph is lecturing one day per week on the

legislative process at the University of Chicago Law School.

In May, Ralph will embark on a new phase

of his professional life. He will join the

Washington law firm of Fox, Bennett, and

Turner, where he will be Of Counsel. At the

law firm, he will set up an affiliate, The Neas

Group, which will provide strategic counseling to business and non-profit institutions.

In addition, Ralph will be a Visiting Professor on a part-time basis at the Georgetown

University Law Center where he will teach

courses on the legislative process.

Among the boards on which he will continue to serve are the Guillain-Barre ́ Syndrome Foundation International, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund,

and the Children’s Charities Foundation.

On behalf of everyone in the Leadership

Conference, I want to express our deepest

gratitude to Ralph and wish him well in all

his new endeavors. We will miss the personal

qualities that made Ralph so effective in his

job—his cheerfulness and optimism even

when facing great challenges, his patience in

working with people to resolve differences

within the coalition, and the respect he accorded to everyone’s point of view. But we

know that there will be many opportunities

to work with him as we confront the challenges ahead of us. There is no question in

my mind that Ralph will continue to be one

of the drum majors for justice.

TRIBUTE TO FORMER SENATOR

JOHN C. STENNIS

fMr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, I would

like to add my voice to those which

have already lamented the passing of

our dear former colleague from Mississippi, John Stennis. About 25 of us

went down to Mississippi last week to

his funeral to say goodbye to one of the

true giants in the history of this institution.

I recall about 10 years ago, some Senators, including myself, went to Senator Stennis’ hometown of De Kalb,

MS, where the people of De Kalb and

surrounding areas had gathered to help

celebrate his birthday. There was a

great outpouring of love and genuine

affection from friends and neighbors

who had known him, his father, and

others before him. No one really knows

an individual in the same way that the

people of his hometown do, and you

could see that as they came together

that day. There was an authentic feeling of closeness and friendship.

De Kalb is a small community, probably smaller than the one I come from.

The people there—the salt of the

earth—knew their favorite son, John

Stennis, for his character and integrity. The great outpouring of affection

which was on display that day was the

best evidence anyone ever needed of his

graciousness, honesty, decency, and

dedication to principle. All of us there

could see that he stood very tall with

those who knew him best.

John Stennis and I had much in common, both of us from southern families

that go back for many generations. I

used to enjoy the stories he would tell

about his early years and how his father would raise cotton, transport it

over to Alabama, and ship it down the

river to Mobile. We were both judges at

one time, which gave us a unique perspective on government, individuals,

and human nature in general.

John Cornelius Stennis was born on

August 3, 1901, in Kemper County, in

the red clay hills of eastern Mississippi. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa

from what is now Mississippi State

University in 1923 and 4 years later, received his law degree from the University of Virginia. Just 1 year later, he

was elected to the Mississippi Legislature. He later went on to serve as a district prosecuting attorney and circuit

judge.

After 10 years on the bench, he ran in

1947 for the Senate seat held by the

flamboyant Senator Theodore G. Bilbo

and was elected over five opponents in

November. His campaign theme was ‘‘I

want to plow a straight furrow right

down to the end of my row,’’ and that

philosophy guided the rest of his career

in public service.

Until his last campaign, in 1982, he

was never seriously challenged for reelection. Even then, facing future Republican National Committee Chairman Haley Barbour, then only 34, he

won by a 2-to-1 margin.

In his early days in the Senate, John

would work 16 hours a day, staying in

the Senate until it adjourned and then

studying in the Library of Congress. He

was meticulous in his work, someone

who would go over something again

and again until he finally mastered its

complexities. He was a commanding
May 3, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6031

presence in the Senate Chamber, where

his voice carried such resonance. Even

after we had microphones, he would

often speak without one.

John Stennis served in the Senate

longer than all but one other person in

its history. When he retired on January

3, 1989, he had served for 41 years, 1

month, and 29 days. During the 1960’s

and 1970’s, he was the most influential

voice in Congress on military affairs.

He was chairman of the appropriations

Committee, and was instrumental in

the development of the TennesseeTombigbee Waterway, which was extremely important to both our States

economically. He changed with the

times, and began to support civil rights

measures. Due to his integrity, diligence, and judgment, he was often

called upon to investigate controversial political matters. It became routine to refer to him as the conscience

of the Senate. He was a patriarch and

teacher to younger Members.

It his later years, while his voice remained clear and his mind sharp, he experienced serious physical problems.

He was shot and seriously wounded by

a burglar at his home in 1973, and had

a leg amputated in 1984 due to cancer,

but each time, he returned to his beloved Senate much sooner than had

been expected.

After he retired, Senator Stennis

moved to the Mississippi State University campus, home of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government and the

John C. Stennis Center for Public Service, created by Congress to train young

leaders. In one of his last interviews,

he said, ‘‘I do believe the most important thing I can do now is to help

young people understand the past and

prepare for the future.’’

At that birthday celebration for John

Stennis a decade ago, I had the honor

and pleasure of speaking. I ended my

speech with an old Irish prayer, which

goes:

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the Sun shine warm on your face

And the rains fall soft on your shoulders,

And may the Good Lord hold you in the

hollow of his hand during the remainder of

your days.

He was a deeply religious man, and

he told me he was particularly glad I

used the prayer as a closing on that occasion.

John Stennis’ days are now over, and

his passing gives us reason to pause, reflect, and remember that this body is a

decidedly better institution, and the

United States a better nation, for having had the benefit of this statesman’s

service for so many years.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is a perTRIBUTE TO BURTON COHEN

fsonal privilege for me to rise today to

congratulate a man of considerable

achievement in both business and community spirit. Burton Cohen was one of

the pioneers who helped lead Las Vegas

from its origins as a small gaming

community to the thriving resort city

that it has become today. Despite the

great demands of his career, he has always devoted great time and energy to

the development of our community and

our State. Burton Cohen is more than a

close friend; he is also a role model for

Nevadans and all citizens of our country.

Burton Cohen moved to southern Nevada in 1966 when he became part

owner and managing director of the

Frontier Hotel. He had previously risen

to success as the owner of his own

hotel development company in Florida.

His talents were soon recognized

throughout the Nevada gaming community, and he was recruited for other

leadership positions in Las Vegas at

Circus Circus, the Flamingo Hilton,

Caesar’s Palace, and the Dunes Hotel.

In addition to his considerable contributions to various hotel properties

throughout southern Nevada, Burton

has been a pivotal factor in shaping Nevada’s transition to the 21st century.

He was president of the Nevada Resort

Association and was on the influential

board of the Las Vegas Convention and

Visitors Authority. Without his innovative presence, and his insightful vision, Las Vegas would not be the destination resort and convention center

it is today.

Mr. Cohen has always adhered to the

needs of our community. He became

closely involved in numerous community activities and charitable causes.

He served on the board of the Southern

Nevada Drug Abuse Council and led a

successful campaign for the United

Way in the Las Vegas Valley. Burton

was a member of the board of directors

of the Boys’ Clubs of Clark County and

the Nevada Division of American Cancer Society. Furthermore, he has also

been an active member in the Anti-Defamation League and is currently a

trustee of Sunrise Hospital in Las

Vegas.

Burton Cohen recently announced his

retirement from his current position as

president and chief executive officer of

the Desert Inn Hotel and Country Club.

His accomplishments in hotel management and in the community are

unrivaled and will be deeply missed.

Along with his wife, Linda, Burton has

made southern Nevada a better place

for tourists and residents alike.

On Saturday, May 20, the Anti-Defamation League will be honoring Burton

Cohen with the ‘‘Lifetime Achievement

Award.’’ I can think of no better recipient for this honor, and I want the entire country to know of Burton’s

achievements and to join those of us in

Nevada in recognizing his commitment

to excellence.

Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise

MR. MAX H. KARL

ftoday to express my sorrow at the passing of my good friend, Max H. Karl. He

died on April 19, at the age of 85. Max

was a man of vision, intellect, action,

and compassion. He lived life to its

fullest extent as a family man, a business man, a philanthropist, a civic

minded citizen, and as a man devoted

to his faith. Max Karl was a good friend

not only to myself and my family, but

to all of those who had the good fortune to come into contact with him.

At this time, I also extend my heartfelt condolences to his family. Max is

survived by his wife Anita, his son Dr.

Robert Karl of Miami, daughter Karyn

Schwade of Miami, sister Minnie Friedman of Milwaukee, his brother Dr. Michael Karl of St. Louis, and nine grandchildren.

Mr. President, Max Karl was a man

who was devoted to his family, his

community and his work. He was a son

of Wisconsin, who in every way contributed to the betterment of those

around him. Max was a graduate of the

University of Wisconsin and its law

school. He was the founder and chairman of the Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp., headquartered in my hometown of Milwaukee. Max also served as

past president of the Mortgage Insurance Companies of America and as a director of First Wisconsin Corp. and

MGIC affiliates.

In the public arena, Max served as a

member of the Federal Home Loan

Mortgage Corporation’s advisory committee; the Metropolitan Milwaukee

Association Chamber of Commerce; the

National Association of Home Builders

Roundtable; and was a member of the

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s

School of Business Administration Advisory Council.

Max Karl’s other civic activities included serving as a director of the

Grand Avenue Corp.; the Greater Milwaukee Committee; the Milwaukee Art

Museum; the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and the United Performing

Arts Fund. Max was also a past trustee

of Mt. Sinai Medical Center; Alverno

College; the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; and a trustee emeritus of

Marquette University.

Among the many awards and commendations he received in recognition

of his charitable and civic work, Max

was the 1962 recipient of the National

Home and House Award; the 1973 recipient of the State of Israel Golda Meir

Award; the 1982 Milwaukee Press Club

Headliner Award winner; the 1985 Children’s Outing Association Father of

the Year; and most recently, in 1994,

Max Karl was named to the UWM

School of Business Administration

‘‘Wisconsin Gallery’’ of leading corporate citizens.

Max Karl was also a giant in the Milwaukee Jewish Community who,

among his other accomplishments,

served as a past president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation; a former

chairman of Wisconsin State of Israel

Bonds; a member of the boards of Hillel

Academy and the former Milwaukee

Jewish Home. He also served on the

boards of the American Committee for

the Weizmann Institute of Science;

Americans for a Safe Israel; American