E 934 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 3, 1995

and to nominate them for admission to the

U.S. service academies. While at the Academy, they will be the beneficiaries of one of

the finest educations available, so that in the

future, they might be entrusted with the very

security of our Nation.

I am confident that Jerrod Hawk has both

the ability and the desire to meet this challenge. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating him for his accomplishments to

date and to wish him the best of luck as he

begins his career in service to our country.

A SALUTE TO BILLY STRAYHORN

AND ELLINGTON ’95

f

HON. WILLIAM J. COYNE OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 3, 1995

Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased

today to pay tribute to Billy Strayhorn and his

many contributions to jazz music as a pianist,

composer, lyricist, and arranger.

Billy Strayhorn will soon be remembered in

the city of Pittsburgh during ‘‘Ellington ’95: The

Thirteenth Annual International Conference on

the Life and Music of Duke Ellington,’’ where

delegates from 16 countries and 34 States will

be in attendance. This event is dedicated to

the memory of Billy Strayhorn and is being

hosted by the Billy Strayhorn Chapter of the

Duke Ellington Society in Pittsburgh, PA.

Billy Strayhorn was born in Dayton, OH on

November 29, 1915, and was raised in Pittsburgh where he graduated from Westinghouse

High School. It was in Pittsburgh at the Stanley Theatre, now the Benedum Center for the

Performing Arts that the close association and

collaboration between Duke Ellington and

Strayhorn began. This remarkably productive

collaboration endured for nearly three decades

and produced more than 200 compositions

and arrangements.

The musical compositions of Billy Strayhorn

are among some of America’s most popular

jazz standards. Billy Strayhorn’s music includes Take the ‘A’ Train, the Ellington Band’s

theme song, Lush Life, Something to Live For,

Day Dream, After All, Chelsea Bridge, Lotus

Blossom, and Blood Count. Billy Strayhorn

has been honored on many occasions for his

contributions to jazz and was elected to the

‘‘Songwriters’ Hall of Fame’’ on April 15, 1984,

by the National Academy of Popular Music.

The discovery of previously unknown Billy

Strayhorn compositions has brought new recognition and acclaim to this great composer’s

memory. A newly discovered composition,

Portrait of a Silk Thread, was premiered at the

1994 Ellington Conference in Stockholm, Sweden. Other previously unknown compositions

have been found and will be premiered for the

world at the Ellington Annual International

Conference in Pittsburgh, May 24–28, 1995. I

am confident that the presentation of these

newly discovered compositions will be among

the highlights of this year’s Ellington conference.

Mr. Speaker, it is proper that the Members

of the U.S. House should take note of Billy

Strayhorn and his outstanding contributions to

the musical heritage of the United States of

America and the world. Billy Strayhorn and

Duke Ellington were ambassadors to the world

and helped to enlighten millions of individuals

from around the globe to the American jazz

experience. I am pleased that the memory of

Billy Strayhorn will be celebrated in Pittsburgh

later this month and commend to the House

and the American people ‘‘Ellington ’95: The

Thirteenth Annual International Conference on

the Life and Music of Duke Ellington.’’

RECOGNITION OF JUDITH PISAR

fHON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 3, 1995

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, one of the

pleasures of serving in this legislative body is

the opportunity we occasionally get to acknowledge publicly the outstanding citizens of

our Nation. I rise today to honor Judith Pisar

in her installment as a Chevalier of the Legion

of Honor in France, an honor she received on

May 26, 1994. Ms. Pisar’s contributions have

led to building of a widely-admired cultural

bridge between the United States and France

and to Franco-American cultural relations in

general.

A native of New York, Ms. Pisar has spent

the last two decades in Paris working for the

American Center in Paris, a cultural center

that houses contemporary American art.

Founded 63 years ago, the American Center

has helped bridge the gap of cultural differences between the United States and

France. Under Ms. Pisar’s direction, the American Center has expanded with a new building

that was dedicated on June 4, 1994. The new

building will house a 420-seat theater, studios,

a gallery, classrooms, and apartments for visiting artists and writers and will have space for

an American restaurant.

Ms. Pisar has also organized cultural, educational and charitable events for artists in

France and the United States. She has put together exhibitions of young painters and a variety of multi-media events on both sides of

the Atlantic.

Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that France

has bestowed this high achievement to Ms.

Pisar, a person dedicated to the cultural and

intellectual education of our countries.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this moment to ask my colleagues in the U.S. House

of Representatives to join me in commending

Ms. Judith Pisar for her valuable work. She is

an inspiration to us all.

TRIBUTE TO SARA AND SIMHA

fLAINER

HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 3, 1995

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to

pay tribute to Sara and Simha Lainer, close

friends of mine for more than 40 years and

people passionately dedicated to the welfare

of the Jewish community of Los Angeles. Natives of Eastern Europe, the Lainers came to

southern California via Mexico, where they

lived and worked for several years. We are

lucky to have them.

Sara Lainer, a distinguished author of scholarly articles, has been an active volunteer on

behalf of Hadassah, Pioneer Women, General

Israel Orphans Home, the Yiddish Culture

Club, and many other organizations. She continues to lecture in Hebrew and Yiddish to

groups in Los Angeles, and she holds an honorary doctorate from the Hebrew Theological

College, Jewish University of America. Her

commitment to the intellectual and spiritual

components of Judaism is extraordinary.

Simha Lainer, who ran a successful real estate business in the San Fernando Valley, is

a strong supporter of, and a dedicated volunteer with, the University of Judaism, the Jewish Community Foundation, the ADL, and

West Coast Friends of the Hebrew University.

Anyone who cares about the Jewish community of Los Angeles owes a huge thanks to

Simha Lainer.

In 1989, the Lainers established the Simha

and Sara Lainer Fund for Jewish Education,

which has thus far awarded $290,000 in scholarships to 400 children around the city. I can

think of nothing more important than ensuring

Judaism remains vibrant and alive in Los Angeles.

Simha and Sara also raised three sons,

Mark, Nahum, and Luis, who have followed in

the tradition of their parents in working hard

on behalf of their community. I am indeed

lucky to be good friends with all three, as well

as their wives, Ellie, Alice, and Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me

in saluting Sara and Simha Lainer, whose tireless efforts to make this a better world inspire

us all.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

fHON. LEE H. HAMILTON OF INDIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, May 3, 1995

Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to

insert my Washington Report for Wednesday,

April 26, 1995 into the CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD.

THE OUTLOOK FOR THE ECONOMY

With all the attention given to the Contract With America in the first 100 days, it is

also important to focus on an issue of much

importance for many Hoosiers—the state of

the economy and what can be done to

strengthen the outlook.

1994 was a year of solid economic growth,

strong job creation, and low inflation, a very

unusual combination for the postwar period.

The Midwest, including Indiana, did even

better. Most everyone would be pleased if we

could just freeze the 1994 numbers. But analysts warn that the rise in interest rates during the past year is slowing important sectors of the economy—particularly housing

and autos—and that the rest of the economy

may also shift into lower gear this year and

next.

Performance Of The Economy. Economic

Growth The economy’s total output of goods

and services grew 4.1% last year. This was

the strongest growth in seven years and well

above average for the postwar period. Much

of the growth was fueled by a boom in business investment in new equipment. Housing

starts hit their highest level since 1988, output of motor vehicles rose to the highest

level in more than a decade, and industrial

production rose 5.4% over 1993, the strongest

gain in ten years.

Jobs. The economy created 3.5 million jobs

in 1994, the strongest job growth in ten