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[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H5383-H5384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

               A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HONORABLE LES ASPIN

  (Mr. OBEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, as dean of the Wisconsin delegation, it is my 
sad duty to officially announce to the House something which most 
Members already know, that our friend and former colleague, Les Aspin, 
passed away at 7:55 Sunday night at Georgetown Hospital.
  His official biography will note that he was born July 21, 1938. He 
received a bachelor's degree from Yale University, his master's in 
economics from Oxford University, and his Ph.D. in economics from MIT. 
He served as a staff assistant to U.S. Senator William Proxmire, and as 
a staff assistant to Walter Heller, the Chairman of the President's 
Council on Economic Advisers.
  He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968. He taught economics at 
Marquette University before being elected to Congress in 1970. He 
served in Congress for 22 years, until 1992, when President Clinton 
appointed his as Secretary of Defense. When he resigned his 
congressional seat to become Secretary of Defense, he was, as Members 
know, the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and he was a 
darned good one. That is his official biography.
  Mr. Speaker, let me say on a more informal note, as a friend, that 
Wisconsin has lost one of the most significant and effective human 
beings to ever serve our State, and the United States has lost one of 
the most decent and concerned citizens and leaders it has ever had.
  In this time of cynicism about government and about politics and 
about politicians, I think it appropriate to note that Les Aspin 
literally worked his heart out to make this a better country and a 
safer world. He was totally dedicated, absolutely and totally 
[[Page H5384]] dedicated, to the ideal of public service. Anyone who 
knew him knew that he put public service ahead of personal life. He 
gave it everything he had, and he is now gone.
  Mr. Neumann and I will announce at a later date when special orders 
will be held for Les, but on behalf of the Aspin family and his friends 
and staff, I want to make certain that Members understand what the 
information is regarding his funeral and memorial services.
  Visitation hours will be held on Thursday, May 25, at the Schmidt-
Bartelt Funeral Home at 10280 North Port Washington Road in Mequon, WI. 
Family and friends are invited to attend from 1 to 4 p.m. The public is 
invited to attend from 6 to 9 p.m.
  Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. at Gesu 
Church, Marquette University, in Milwaukee. I have been asked to say 
that the family would very much welcome any Members who might like to 
attend those services.
  At this point, as I understand it, transportation arrangements have 
not yet exactly been finalized, but it is expected that a plane will be 
provided by the Pentagon for a significant number of Members. If 
Members are interested in attending, please call my office and we will 
try to help facilitate that.
  A memorial service will be held in Washington, DC, probably in the 
Capitol, around June 7. That is not exactly tied down, but we expect it 
to be on that date. Details will be made available as soon as possible. 
The family advises that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in 
Les Aspin's name to one of the following charities: Countryside Humane 
Society, Racine, WI, Wisconsin Public Radio, or Georgetown Cardiology 
Research Fund, care of Dr. David Pearle, Georgetown University Medical 
Center.
  Written expressions of sympathy to family and friends may be sent in 
care of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, room 340, 
Old Executive Office Building, the White House, Washington, DC.
  Mr. Speaker, with the Speaker's sufferance on time, I yield to the 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Neumann] who, as we all know, is now 
occupying the seat once held by our good friend, Les Aspin.
  Mr. NEUMANN. Mr. Speaker, it is with much sadness that my wife and I 
received the news of Les Aspin's condition, and then later, of his 
death. Everyone who served in this body while Les was here understands 
the legacy he has left here in Washington. His unflinching commitment 
to the defense of this Nation is legendary, but today, very briefly I 
would like to make a few comments about the legacy he has left in 
Wisconsin, where I am fortunate enough to serve the district Les Aspin 
represented for 22 years.
  Les was born in 1938, in the city of Milwaukee. In 1956 he graduated 
from Shorewood High School. In 1960, he graduated summa cum laude from 
Yale University. In 1962, he received his master's from Oxford, and in 
1965, his Ph.D. from MIT.
  He was originally elected to Wisconsin's First District in 1970. He 
spend the next 22 years working on behalf of his constituents, with a 
tireless effort that is still a standard my office works to meet. Les 
was a professor, but he had the ability to relate to people. He was 
brilliant, but he was not arrogant.
  Serving his constituents and his Nation was his life's passion. 
Keeping this Nation safe and free for our children and our 
grandchildren in his legacy. He will be remembered and honored by all 
he served.
  On this very sad occasion of his passing, let us pause and reflect on 
Les Aspin, a man dedicated to public service and committed to keeping 
this Nation free. He will be sorely missed by all.
  Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Speaker, and I yield to the 
gentleman from Milwaukee, WI [Mr. Barrett].
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I also want to pay tribute to 
Les Aspin. Those of us who have the tremendous honor of serving in this 
great institution sometimes fail to see the giants that serve among us. 
Certainly Les Aspin was a giant who served among us.
  I am proud to say that he was born in Milwaukee and graduated from 
Shorewood High School, and he was a man who was clearly a leader, not 
only of the people of the State of Wisconsin, of the district that he 
represented in the southeastern part of Wisconsin, but of this entire 
Nation.
  He was a man, as Mr. Obey indicated, who gave his heart, literally, 
to this country. He poured hours after hours after hours into trying to 
grapple with the important issues we face as a Nation, and he did it 
because he loved this country. He was truly a public servant who cared 
about the people in the State of Wisconsin, and cared about the people 
in this great country.
  It is rare that we see people in this institution who work as hard as 
Les Aspin did. He gave hour after hour for the people that he loved. 
However, in doing so, he was always able to retain his touch of the 
common man. As much as he accomplished academically and through the 
higher ranks of government in this country, he never lost the ability 
to relate to people on a day-to-day level. To me he will always be Les, 
the fellow who would put his arm around you, smile and joke, and ask 
how things were going. He was a man who cared about you as an 
individual and cared about people as people.
  In this morning's paper there was a short paragraph that described 
probably the best the way we can think of Les, as we remember him.

       He loved high-powered debates with intellectuals, but he 
     never put on airs. He could talk to farmers and mechanics as 
     easily as the Presidents and potentates. It is no wonder the 
     voters of southeastern Wisconsin kept Aspin in Congress for 
     22 years. They knew a good man when they say him. They, and 
     all Americans, have lost someone special.

     

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