May 16, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1045

Mr. Speaker, I urge more of my colleagues

to sign on in support of this demonstration

project and put a little hope and innovation

into our education system.

TRIBUTE TO JIM GRANT

f

HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

OF MICHIGAN

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 16, 1995

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, on May 17 the

Overseas Development Council will honor

James P. Grant. It will do so at a dinner in

Washington to commemorate its 25th anniversary and will present awards to several who

have chaired ODC. Jim Grant will be honored

in memoriam.

If any word could characterize Jim Grant’s

distinguished career, and none adequately

can, it might be dedication. Jim cared passionately about all the world’s people and devoted

his life to his dream of everyone on Earth having a real chance to enjoy its bounty.

Whether one knew Jim Grant during his

early years in beginning to help others, his

work in the U.S. Government trying to develop

American assistance that would really matter

to people in Third World nations, his days providing leadership as head of the ODC, or his

glorious tenure as executive director of

UNICEF, the conclusion was the same for so,

so many of us. There was no one else quite

like Jim—in his combination of imagination,

enthusiasm, drive, perseverance, intelligence,

and interpersonal skills.

He simply would never give up.

Jim Grant would understand the impetus in

our Nation to focus on improving the opportunity for the millions of our citizens who have

seen their standard of living stagnate over the

last decade, and in many cases decline. At

the same time he would not believe that, in

doing so, our Nation would want to turn its

back on the plight of millions elsewhere. He

believed too much in the basic decency of the

people of this country, and in this sense he

was in all of his bones and in his fundamental

attitude very much an archetypical American.

Literally, there are hundreds of thousands, if

not millions, of children alive today because

Jim Grant lived. Could anyone ask for more of

his or her life?

Jim met more of the people he cared about

than do most, but most of them he never met.

But he could envisage them vividly, as if part

of his own family, to whom he was so close

and from whom sprang much of his humanity.

I had the privilege of working with Jim, also

of seeing him preside over many a meeting.

There was no one who could better stimulate

a diverse group to work, sometimes struggle

to a constructive conclusion—not infrequently

the very one he had in mind from the very beginning. As the ODC notes his untimely death

by commemorating his life, many who know

him well join in and innumerable others who

did not know him directly but benefited from

his work would do so, if they could.

HONORING THE NEW YORK PUBLIC

LIBRARY

HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 16, 1995

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the New York

Public Library, one of the Nation’s most treasured cultural institutions, and the only library in

the world combining a preeminent research

collection and a comprehensive system of

neighborhood branch libraries, is celebrating

its 100th birthday.

For 100 years, the New York Public Library

has been a cornerstone of equal opportunity

by providing free and open access to information without distinction based upon income, religion, nationality, or other human condition.

The only criterion for admission is curiosity.

Through the 82 branch libraries and 4 research centers, the Library serves more than

10 million people each year. The research libraries, which include the Center for the Humanities, the Schomberg Center for Research

in Black Culture, the Library for the Performing

Arts, and the soon-to-be-opened Science, Industry, and Business Library, contain vast

treasures which provide researchers, scholars,

and students access to the accumulated wisdom of the world.

However, it is the neighborhood branches

that are the cornerstone of many New York

City neighborhoods. They provide a safe and

inviting gathering place for the young, the elderly, and, in fact, for everyone to learn and

enrich their lives. The branch libraries reach

far beyond the traditional lending role usually

associated with neighborhood libraries. The

many branch libraries that are located in my

congressional district play an extremely important role in the education and socialization of

the residents of Bronx County.

I join with my constituents in recognizing the

New York Public Library on the 100th anniversary of its founding.

TRIBUTE TO PETER CLENDENIN

fHON. THOMAS J. BLILEY, JR. OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 16, 1995

Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

commend and pay tribute to a good friend and

servant to the people of the Commonwealth of

Virginia, Mr. Peter Clendenin. On June 30 of

this year, Peter will end more than 12 years of

service as president of the Virginia Health

Care Association, a nonprofit association that

represents assisted living, nursing facility, and

subacute care providers throughout the State

of Virginia.

For the 3 years preceding his tenure at the

Virginia Health Care Association, Peter served

the Commonwealth as assistant secretary of

human resources where he oversaw the development of the budgets for 15 State agencies responsible for implementing security,

manpower development, mental health services, and rehabilitation services for the people

of Virginia.

Peter began his service to the Commonwealth in 1975 as a senior legislative analyst

with the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and

Review Commission where he worked for 4

years as project director of program evaluations.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to

share with my colleagues the many contributions Peter Clendenin has made to the people

and government of Virginia, and to wish him

well on his future endeavors.

CONGRATULATORY REMARKS FOR

MISS CHELSI SMITH, MISS UNIfVERSE 1995

HON. KEN BENTSEN OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 16, 1995

Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

recognize Miss Chelsi Smith who was

crowned Miss Universe on May 12, 1995, in

Namibia, South Africa. Miss Smith has become an inspirational figure to young people

across the world.

Chelsi Smith represented the State of Texas

at the Miss USA competition in 1995. Upon

her award, she continued her duties in South

Africa where she represented the United

States of America in the Miss Universe competition. Of the 82 contestants Chelsi Smith, of

Deer Park, TX, has become the sixth Miss

USA to be honored with the title of Miss Universe.

Miss Smith, a 21-year-old woman, was

raised in Deer Park, TX, were she graduated

from Deer Park High School in 1991. She is

a sophomore at San Jacinto Community College, were she intends to complete her studies

in early childhood education after fulfilling her

reign as Miss Universe.

Chelsi has worked to raise the awareness of

racial issues and has served as a motivational

spokesperson to the youth of America.

I congratulate Miss Chelsi Smith on her

award of Miss Universe. I wish her well as she

continues to represent the United States of

America and the State of Texas. I am very

proud that a fellow Texan has so well represented our Nation. It is with great pride that

I extend my congratulations to Miss Smith for

her important victory.

MARGARET MONTERO-LEADERSHIP IN THE PORTUGUESEfAMERICAN COMMUNITY

HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, May 16, 1995

Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

recognize Mrs. Margaret Montero, the supreme president of the Associacao Protectora

Uniao Madeirence do Estado da California

[APUMEC] a fraternal organization in California’s 13th Congressional District. On June 20,

1995, she will finish her term in office.

The APUMEC is a fraternal benefit society

which was started in Oakland, CA, in 1913, by

several men from the island of Madeira, Portugal. The purpose of the society is to assist

any member who might be ill or in need. If a

member passes away, the society provides

assistance to the member’s family. Since

1913, the society has grown in membership to