Date: 2009-05-05
Speaker: DANIEL E. LUNGREN (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in tribute to a good and great friend who was also a great American leader that we lost this last weekend. Jack Kemp. Jack Kemp was not only an inspiration to many. but he is a model for those of us who serve in this House. Through the years. his searching intellect. his impressive leadership ability. his buoyant _personality. and. yes. his dedication to his family. was something to inspire all of us who had the opportunity to know him and those of us who were able to call him friend. I remember that he told me one time that as busy as he was. he always used to take the time to try and give some inspiration to his children. and at times he would write a little note to them and put it under their pillow. and oftdntimes it would say these simple words: "Be -a leader." I copied that from Jack. and I would remind my children before they would go to bed to think of themselves as leaders. not just followers. Jack had that kind of effect on people. I was speaking to another Member of Congress recently and I said. when you think of Jack Kemp. you immediately have a smile on your lips because of that buoyant personality. that ultimate sense of fairness. Today. we talk about athletes having a swagger. Jack didnt walk with a swagger. He walked with the grace of an athlete. And there was a certain graciousness about him as he approached anybody on this floor. Democrat. Republican. liberal. conservative. white. black. Hispanic. it didnt matter. Jack treated you all the same. Jack genuinely believed that there was goodness in everybody. and even when disappointed he would still come back to that fundamental thought of his that if you could reach just a little bit deeper. if you talked to someone just a .little bit longer. if you fought a little bit harder. maybe you could find agreement and maybe we could move this country forward. It was a great experience being one of Jacks friends. I often thought that there might be someone out there who doesnt like Jack Kemp. but I dont think there was a single person that Jack disliked. And that could be irritating at times when he was an ally of yours and you were dealing with a difficult issue. and you would say. Jack. dont you hear what they are saying? Doesnt it get you irritated? And he would give you that half crooked smile and have that raspy chuckle. and he would just keep on going. I remember when I was with him. as were several other Members in the House. I believe it was over in the Cannon Caucus Room. when Jack announced his candidacy for President in 1988. At the end he said something to this effect. He said. "While I am leaving the House. I will always be a man of the House." And I believe he was. until the day he died. Today. as we deal with difficult issues. it would do us good to remember Jack. not as someone of the past. not as someone who made great contributions to this country in his life. but someone whose spirit remains and whose example should be an example to us all. We dealt with difficult issues when he was here in the House. the Contras. Soviet Jewry. the Cold War. the march of communism. high taxes. difficult inflation. questions about where we were going. And Jack dealt with all of those issues. But he dealt with those issues not only with a smile. but with a clarity of vision and an approach that invited people to sit down and debate with emotion. but with civility. There could be no better example for us today. The incandescence of his personality. the generosity of his spirit. the genuineness of his friendship. I thank God for all of those things. And I think today as we deal with these difficult issues. rather than just to have a tip of the hat to people like Jack Kemp. we ought to say. your inspiration. your leadership and your example will continue to burn brightly in the hearts of Members of this body and we shall always remember your belief in the goodness of America and the goodness of its people. God bless you. friend.