Date: 1983-04-12
Speaker: DE LUGO (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I never thought I would stand before this body to mourn the passing of my friend. PHILLIP BURTON. The vitality of the man. and his energy. seemed to even charge the air when he entered a room. He drew attention like a magnetic force. The brilliance of his mind. and his quick and total grasp of issues was spellbinding. If he seemed driven in his intensity. it would seem now. in retrospect. that maybe he surmised he had but limited time to accomplish all that he had set out to do. PHILs efforts touched the lives of practically every family In some way or another throughout the Nation and its territories. and that he did accomplish so much is a credit not only to the man. but to his wonderful wife. Sala. who gave him the inner strength he drew on. My deepest sympathies go out to Sala and to all PHILs family. We have heard our colleagues here today extol PmIL for what he accomplished and for what he achieved for others in so many areas. I would like to speak on one particular area: PHIL BURTON and the territories of the United States. Not everyone is aware of how much time and talent PHIL devoted to the insular possessions. Some who did were surprised that anyone would give so much to an issue so far removed from a home district or national headlines. Beneath that powerful and sometimes gruff exterior was the deepest. most consistent. and most sincere concern for the poor. the disadvantaged. the elderly. the minoritiesall the underrepresented and the unrepresented. When I first met PHLI.IP BURTON over 15 years ago. that is exactly what the U.S. Virgin Islands wereunrepresented. We had no delegate to Congress. The American citizens in the U.S. Virgin Islands were not only excluded from voting in Presidential elections. we could not even elect our own Governor. I was elected to an atlarge position and came to Washington in 1968. basically as a lobbyist. an unseated representative of the interests of the people. Within the space of a few short years. the American citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands soon had the right to vote for their own Governor. and a delegate seated in the House of Representatives. PHIL with his brilliant command of the legislative process was the principal architect of those changes. and of many. many more. I was proud to have been that first delegate in the Congress. and prouder still to have known and worked with this great man for so many years. PHIL abhored inequity in any form. He had a clear perception of the territories. and an insight into their historical future that the territories dared not have. and that the United States seemed unwilling to have. He saw those distant insular areas without representation. without full political rights. with little support for their fragile isolated economiesthe discards of shrinking world which had diluted their former value as strategic outposts. He saw. too. the people of those island. their warmth. their rich cultural histories. and their unstudied abillty to live race with race. and class with class. in a harmony that our Nation has not yet achieved. He saw that the territories needed much from the Nation whose flag they proudly bear. They needed full rights. better schools and hospitals. economic stability. and above all. full opportunities and the selfconfidence to utilize them. He saw those islands struggling with the responsibilities of compliance with the laws of a system in which they had no voice and with which they were economically unprepared to cope. In one of his last statements on the floor of this House in speaking onmy amendment to the Caribbean Basin Initiative he said: Once again. we see the insular areas of the United Statespaying an improper price for what is deemed by others to be in the higher nalional policy interests. More than any person before. he recognized. and articulated. the inherent responsibilities of the United States to the people of the possessions this Nation chose to acquire. whether through cash or war. And he knew that in honoring those responsibilities. in giving those people the right to full participation. to selfesteem. to selfconfidence. the United States had much to gain. Two centuries ago. this Nation. itself then a possession. embarked on the greatest experiment in history with the founding of the democractie Republic of the United States. PHIL was ever conscious that it is an experiment. and he saw that only by being honorable. and open. and courageous enough to learn. even from its smallest and futurestflung possessions. would the United States succeed. He died believing In that. and I would urge my colleagues. not to let his knowledge die with him. Mr. Speaker. the people of the Virgin Islands loved PHILLIP BURTON and some of those who worked closest with him over the years have forwarded to me statements expressing their feelings at this sad moment. I submit these statements for inclusion in the RECORD of these proceedings. STATEMENT OF Gov. JUAN Luis. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS I was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden and untimely death of Congressman Phillip Burton. Congressman Burton was a stalwart. longtime friend of the Virgin Islands and he was highly regarded for his vast experience. wisdom and sound judgement. His death is a serious loss to the Virgin Islands and the other United States territories. Mr. Burton fought many battles in Congress on behalf of the Virgin Islands and authored many valuable pieces of legislation to provide federal assistance to the people of this territory. He was also a true champion of our efforts toward greater selfdetermination. A frequent visitor to the Virgin Islands. Congressman Burton was always interested to learn of ways in which he could be of assistance to residents. and his advice. counsel and hard work to provide substantial improvements for our people will leave an indelible mark in the history of these islands. I have today sent a cablegram to Mr. Burtons widow expressing profound sorrow and heartfelt condolences on behalf of the government and people of the Virgin Islands.