December 3, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6053 He is a writer who is working on a ban and when we secured millions to May God bless my colleagues with novel. He is a musician and a member combat the opioid epidemic. the strength to do what is right, and of the Arkansas Sympathy Youth Or- In retrospect, those were the good may God bless this great country. chestra. He hopes to attend North- days. f western University in Chicago, and I Then there were days when it felt REMEMBERING CHAIRMAN BOB expect him to succeed wherever life like our politics was absolutely irre- SMITH takes him. I congratulate Clayton on deemable, when a peaceful march for his hard work and keen interests. justice in my community was used as a The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Keep it up, Clayton, and make weapon to tell my constituents that it Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maumelle High School and your family is impossible to believe that Black Oregon (Mr. WALDEN) for 5 minutes. proud. Lives Matter while also believing that Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise f the vast majority of police officers are today to commemorate and honor the heroes. Those marchers were called life and legacy of former Congressman FAREWELL ADDRESS TO Bob Smith. An Oregon native—born in CONGRESS thugs and they were called rioters just for believing that peaceful protests Portland and raised in Burns—he had a The SPEAKER pro tempore. The could change this country. The public deep understanding of what it meant to Chair recognizes the gentleman from was told that their movement was dan- be an Oregonian and he knew the needs New York (Mr. ROSE) for 5 minutes. gerous and not something you should of the surrounding communities, espe- Mr. ROSE of New York. Mr. Speaker, listen to but something you should be cially the rural part of our State. this may be the last time I get to ad- afraid of. Yet for those who saw it with He went to Willamette University in dress this hallowed Chamber, and for their own eyes, the truth cut through Salem and received a degree in agri- that I am grateful for this opportunity. all those smears. culture. He would go on to put that de- I want to start by thanking my staff. gree to work on his own ranch. I remember being outside of a super- It may come as a surprise to some of In 1960, Bob’s career as a public serv- market. It was raining, and I was mis- my colleagues, as well as the press, but ant began when he was elected to the erable. An off-duty police officer came I do have some flaws. My staff worked Oregon House of Representatives. He up to talk to me. He assured me he was with me for 2 years—some of them even served in the State house until 1972. He no Democrat, but he had been working longer—and together we—not me, we— was speaker of the Oregon House dur- that day of the march. He had been accomplished an extraordinary amount ing the 1969 and 1971 sessions. skeptical, but those young men and for the great people of southern Brook- I remember as a 13-year-old young- women changed his mind, and he was lyn and Staten Island. ster going with my father, whom they proud of them. That officer saw past As I leave to pursue new adventures, were recruiting to run for the legisla- the lies and past the differences others I want to depart, though, with a few ture, down to Salem to see Bob Smith have used to divide us. He witnessed words of optimism for our great coun- and the speaker of the house. I was his fellow Americans in pain, and for try, as well as a warning. about this tall. I looked up, and here him it changed everything. In typical We live in a tough time for truth, and was this giant of a man. He was a giant Staten Island fashion, though, right it is causing faith in our government to of a man in Oregon politics, but a very after, he told me he wasn’t going to corrode. There is not a person in this kind soul. vote for me and that I was going to Chamber who thinks the American peo- He then served in the State senate lose for a thousand other reasons. ple trust us. There is not a person sit- from 1973 to 1982. When Oregon got its ting here right now who thinks the But conversations like that refreshed fifth congressional seat, he ran for that American people believe in our govern- my memory and my faith that this and was elected. He actually ran 31 dif- ment. country can one day live up to its ferent times for election and never lost This didn’t happen overnight. It was promise. We can put the government a single one. death by a thousand disappointments, back on the side of working people In the State house, Bob passed a a thousand scandals, and a thousand from New York City to Washington, number of pieces of legislation. He al- lives broken by politicians who mock a D.C., and everywhere in between. ways stood up for farmers and ranchers virus until it kills their neighbor; who That is the America we know is pos- in eastern Oregon and for lower taxes. carve us up into blue States and red sible: One where, in the face of un- He led the effort in the Congress to States, yet have the nerve to question imaginable vitriol, we don’t hate back; pass a balanced budget amendment. In someone else’s patriotism; who saw no in the face of unimaginable adversity, the State senate, he actually helped problem whatsoever giving a trillion- we don’t give up fighting until it pass the kicker law, which said when dollar tax cut to Big Pharma and com- doesn’t matter what you look like and Oregon collects more tax revenue than panies that are killing our planet, but where you come from, but in this coun- anticipated, that goes back to the tax- then they clutch their pearls when we try you can accomplish your dreams— payer. That went into the constitution say we want to be there for poor people a safe America, a just America, our eventually. and when we say we want to be there America. Bob went on to serve here, as I said, for the most vulnerable. In light of recent electoral results, for 14 years, from 1983 to 1995, and then During my few years in politics, I some have begun to wonder if Demo- came back to chair the Agriculture have seen how we can beat back this crats should soft-pedal the fight for Committee when he returned from 1997 festering cynicism: when we fight like equal justice, if they should take a step to 1999. hell for what is right, especially for back from fighting for economic secu- I am joined here on the floor today those who need us most, when we bring rity or even just give up. I am here to by a colleague from Oklahoma (Mr. converts to our side by promoting say absolutely not. This cannot wait. LUCAS), who served with Chairman truth where there is injustice, and by Justice cannot wait. If you aren’t will- Smith on the Agriculture Committee. appealing to common sense and—God ing to risk everything to build a better Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman forbid—humanity. country, then you do not belong here in from Oklahoma (Mr. LUCAS). I have seen constituents who thought the first place. Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the their government was there only to Mr. Speaker, to close, representing gentleman for yielding. It is an honor screw them over; begin to hope that Staten Island and south Brooklyn has to be here. Discussing my Agriculture maybe that wasn’t the case when we been the honor of my life. On behalf of Committee chairman and my colleague passed the Victim Compensation Fund; Leigh, Miles, and myself, I thank the for 21⁄2 years, Bob Smith, is truly an and when we cut through the red tape people of the 11th Congressional Dis- honor. to finally begin the construction of the trict for this extraordinary privilege. I When I was sworn in, in a special East Shore Seawall, the largest resil- am not sure what life has in store for election and I first surveyed this body, iency project in New York City his- us, but I will be on the front lines mak- one of the faces I recognized was this tory. I saw it when we reunited fami- ing sure our city and our country live huge figure of a man standing at the lies torn apart by the racist Muslim up to its promise. back brass rail. I can still almost see

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Mr. Speaker, today, I ciples and OCC guidance that banks ranch for 2 years, and then we begged rise to celebrate the 75th anniversary should provide access to capital and him to come back and lead the Agri- of VFW Post 334 in Oxford, Michigan. credit based on the assessment of an culture Committee for the next 2 years. Since its founding, VFW Post 334 has individual borrower’s risk as opposed served the local community in Oxford. to making broad-based decisions im- Bob was a wonderful mentor to me. pacting entire industries. It is guided He was a wonderful mentor to the un- Whether it is their shelf at the Oxford/ Orion food pantry, a float in the annual by fundamental principles of non- derclassmen. The first times that I discrimination and would ensure that went with the committee on trips to Christmas parade, a regular fish fry, or maintaining the Orion Veterans Memo- banks can’t pick winners and losers in understand agriculture around the the marketplace. This rule will have world was with Bob, and he had a dip- rial, residents can count on the post to show up and support the community. meaningful impacts on some of Amer- lomat’s style and skill. He was firm. As ica’s strongest industries and the Congressman WALDEN remembered, he Post 334 is committed to making a difference in the lives of veterans. By Americans they serve. wouldn’t take anything from anyone. The prohibition against redlining He had a way about him. He gained praying for those deployed, supporting their families at home, providing a based on race, ethnicity, or neighbor- your trust and he gained your con- hood, regardless of an individual’s fidence. form to gather and share experiences of service, and honoring those who are no qualifications and creditworthiness, is It is hard to believe that he is not longer with us, the VFW preserves the a well-established principle in Federal with us anymore. But Bob was one of bonds that are forged through military law. That prohibition and that prin- those folks whose personality, his service. ciple should be extended to lawful cred- heart, and his intellect were just as big For its work, Post 334 was recognized itworthy businesses as well. Mr. Speaker, over the last several and broad as those shoulders were. I in 2019 as a Michigan All-State Post for years, we have witnessed many cases of consider myself fortunate for having the third year in a row. Most recently, banks publicly committing not to do served with him. I know the family will it was awarded the Diamond Jubilee business with certain legal companies. miss him with intensity forever. But, Award, given to VFW charters that Some banks refuse to finance new coal- Mr. Speaker, 89 years is a good, long have demonstrated exceptional service fired plants; others have refused to pro- life. I can promise you in the time I for three-quarters of a century. vide credit for legally permissible drill- served with him here, he lived it to the Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank ing operations; others boycotted fire- fullest. Quartermaster Chuck Haskin, Senior arms manufacturers. Advisor Commander Randy Stetson, But these decisions were not based on b 1045 and Post Commander Jim Hubbard for the creditworthiness of the borrowers; their leadership and their service to they were based purely on politics. Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the North Oakland community. Coal keeps the lights on. Oil and gas the gentleman from Oklahoma. The spirit of Post 334 is perhaps best heat our homes and fuel our vehicles. Mr. Speaker, Bob did live life to the said by Commander Hubbard: ‘‘We Should coal or oil or gas companies fullest in every measure. And when he honor the dead by helping the living.’’ be subjected to a different lending and Kaye and Matt and Tiffany and Mr. Speaker, in addition to these re- standard just because of their public Chris all lived back here, they had a marks which will live on in the RECORD perception by a select few? Of course farm outside in Virginia, and then he of the people’s House, it is my privilege not. would commute to Oregon. But on to recognize their service by arranging These industries should not be penal- weekends when he was here, he and for a flag to be flown over the Capitol ized simply because of the nature of then-Commerce Secretary Mac in their honor. This flag will be pre- their business and private lenders’ de- Baldrige would rodeo. They would go sented in Oxford to recognize their con- sire to placate the far left. In fact, out and rope and participate in rodeos tinued service to community and to these are companies that provide the around, and here you had a sitting country. most affordable and reliable forms of Member of Congress and the Secretary Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Post 334 energy to the American people. They of Commerce out in the rodeo grounds. on a successful 75 years and wish them are being punished only because they Mr. Speaker, Bob lived a life big and the best in the 75 years to come. are politically unpopular. bold. And ‘‘free man,’’ like his middle f Under the rule, banks can no longer name, he believed in freedom. He be- make these qualitative decisions to lieved in freedom in America. He stood OCC FAIR ACCESS RULE redline entire industries. Industries up for eastern Oregon and for our farm- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The that play crucial roles in the everyday ers and ranchers and our communities. Chair recognizes the gentleman from lives of Americans deserve fair access Those of us who fly in and out of cen- Kentucky (Mr. BARR) for 5 minutes. to America’s financial system and tral Oregon owe a big thank-you to Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today should not be demonized as pawns in him as well since he used his ability in in support of the Office of the Comp- the politics of the day. this body to get us a tower there so we troller of the Currency’s recently pro- Banks are in the business of assess- could have real flights in and out of posed rule to ensure fair access to ing, measuring, and managing risks. central Oregon, and improved, cer- banking services. Banks should be making lending deci- tainly, the interchange of I–5 and High- The fair access rule is a welcomed de- sions based on quantifiable risks asso- way 62. velopment in a time when political cor- ciated with a loan. If a legally oper- rectness and public relations pressure ating business is a sound credit risk by Mr. Speaker, Bob did so much for our are driving the Nation’s largest banks’ objective standards, banks should not State. He stood strong for our country. lending decisions rather than risk be permitted to cut off financing sim- He believed in freedom. He was a dear metrics associated with an underlying ply because the business isn’t in the friend. loan. good graces of certain politicians. And to Kaye and to Matt and Chris Banks are deciding to cut off access Many of the rule’s detractors say it and Tiffany and the whole Smith fam- to capital, divest their holdings, or is an overreach by the OCC or somehow ily, we extend our deepest condolences. otherwise limit financing to legally op- motivated by partisan goals; but, in re- What a life well-lived, a public service erating businesses just because those ality, the rule simply implements di- career that will be tough for anybody businesses are politically unpopular rectives under Dodd-Frank to promote to ever top. with outspoken critics on the far ex- fair access to financial services and

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