S 15366 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 19, 1995 MEREDITH MILLER Williams was in the midst of the 17th distresse called the place Providence, I ∑ Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I would century. He was almost alone in believ- desired it might be a shelter for per- like to articulate my deep sorrow as ing that all citizens should be free to sons distressed for conscience.’’—Early this week marks the anniversary of the worship as their conscience dictated. Records of Providence senseless murder of Meredith Miller. Roger Williams was a determined and We owe a tremendous debt to Roger Meredith, a native of Tampa, FL, dedicated man. In 1672, when he was Williams as the first champion of true graduated with honors from Princeton nearly 70, he rowed all day to reach religious freedom and for translating University where she majored in politi- Newport for a 4-day debate with three principles of democracy and tolerance cal science. After her graduation she Quaker orators. Both his settlement from concepts into substance.∑ came to Washington to further her and his ideas have survived and pros- f studies at George Washington Univer- pered. sity and to work on the issues pertain- For most of his life, Roger Williams SPECIAL INTERESTS HIT STUDENT ing to women. On October 17, 1994, after was a deeply religious man. Even with- LOANS returning from a study group, Meredith out a church to call his own, his ideas ∑ Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, Roger became the victim of a carjacking. flourished in Providence and remain Flaherty, now an editor at the Chicago The dream that Meredith held so alive today. Sun-Times, has followed the Federal dearly was to make a difference in the Documents, such as our Bill of student loan program for a number of lives of others. Her fellow students at Rights and Declaration of Independ- years. I would urge my colleagues to George Washington University would ence can be traced directly back to the consider what he has to say about the like Meredith’s parents in Tampa to hardfought freedoms earned by Roger role of special interests in the current know that Meredith did make a dif- Williams and his followers. budget debate. ference in the lives of those fortunate I encourage my colleagues to visit I ask that an article that appeared in enough to have known her and that the statue of Roger Williams in the Ro- the Chicago Sun-Times on September their thoughts and prayers are with tunda of the Capitol. When you do, re- 27, 1995, be printed in the RECORD. them today and always. Her friends member that even the principles of de- The article follows: miss her and learned much from her mocracy and religious liberty did not [From the Chicago Sun-Times, Sept. 27, 1995] come easily. Roger Williams gave them special outlook on life. She will always SPECIAL INTERESTS HIT DIRECT LOAN form and substance more than 350 remain a vital part of their lives, in PROGRAM HEAD-ON years ago. spirit. (By Roger Flaherty) Mr. President, today let us not forget These principles also founded the basis of our belief that all people are When I was younger, I walked side by side the contributions Meredith Miller one day with Wilbur Mills, the Arkansas made in her short time here with us, created with equal rights and should Democrat then always described as ‘‘chair- and let us be diligent in our efforts to not be denied opportunities to succeed man of the powerful House Ways and Means find a solution to the ever-growing because of their race, gender, or reli- Committee,’’ asking about tax reform. In a number of senseless violent crimes.∑ gion. moment of candor, he said, ‘‘If you want to f I sponsored the Senate legislation reform the tax system, you’ve got to end all that authorized the creation of the deductions.’’ ROGER WILLIAMS NATIONAL ME- Roger Williams National Memorial and Why not do it? I asked. Mills responded MORIAL CELEBRATES 30TH ANNI- I have watched it take shape on the with a dismissive look—sort of sneer and VERSARY site of his original settlement in Provi- condescension—and turned to another re- porter. So I learned that Washington people ∑ Mr. PELL. Mr. President, I rise to dence, RI. don’t do as they think or say. We should share with my colleagues the happy This anniversary comes at an impor- keep that in mind as the Congress plows into news that the Roger Williams National tant time. One purpose of the memorial a fall agenda that promises more moves to Memorial is celebrating the 30th anni- is to emphasize the linked principles of ‘‘get government off our backs.’’ versary of its authorization. tolerance and freedom. As recent Like tax deductions, government-run pro- I want to take this chance to tell you events have demonstrated, we need to grams are bad until they are good for you or your friends. You usually hear this truism about Roger Williams, a Founding Fa- focus on these principles. I am delighted to share with my col- about defense contracts and farm subsidies. ther that you will not encounter here, But there’s one I’ve observed closely in re- except in the rotunda of the Capitol. leagues today the news that the Na- cent years—the student loan program. Sev- He was the founder of Rhode Island and tional Park Service is planning new eral years ago, along with Sun-Times re- a champion of Democracy and religious initiatives to strengthen the impact of porter Leon Pitt, I uncovered enormous liberty. the Roger Williams National Memorial abuses by for-profit trade schools that were There is no national memorial to and its vital message. using student loans like government vouch- Roger Williams here, unlike the monu- If you have any doubts about the sig- ers they could squander any way they chose. ments to other national heroes like nificance of Roger Williams in our his- They enrolled students into programs they were unable to complete or that were so poor Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. tory, consider how his philosophy has resonated through our other Founding in quality as to be useless. When students Our national memorial is in Rhode Is- dropped out, within hours sometimes, the land, where he lived and left us a philo- Fathers and found its way into our schools kept the loan money in violation of sophical legacy of incomparable worth. most sacred documents. the law. The United States was being de- Roger Williams was banished for his Just a few examples, culled from his frauded of billions of dollars. beliefs from the Massachusetts Bay writings, should help to sound his call But when reformers tried to tighten loan Colony in 1635, but survived both ban- for freedom: rules, school industry lobbyists fought them, ishment and subsequent efforts to take ‘‘The sovereign, original, and founda- arguing the reforms were an assault on free over the settlement he named Provi- tion of civil power lies in the Peo- enterprise. It was a strange argument, con- ple.’’—The Bloody Tenent of Persecu- sidering that these schools generally re- dence. ceived more than 90 percent of their income ‘‘The air of the country is sharp,’’ tion for Conscience Discussed (1644). from government loans and grants. Roger Williams said of Providence, ‘‘The civil state is humbly to be im- Well, that odd assertion is again being ‘‘the rocks many, the trees innumer- plored to provide in their high wisdom made in Congress, where conservative Re- able, the grass little, the winter cold, for security of all the respective con- publicans under the guise of getting govern- the summer hot, the gnats in summer sciences.’’—The Hireling Ministry None ment off our backs are attacking the direct biting, the wolves at night howling.’’ of Christs student loan program. The program, which is Thirteen householders in the popu- ‘‘No person in this colony shall be scheduled to be phased in over several years, lation of 32 in the first year formed the molested or questioned for the matters operates successfully at several Illinois in- of his conscience to God, so he be loyal stitutions, including the University of Illi- first genuine democracy—also the first nois. The program allows loans to be made church-divorced and conscience-free and keep the civil peace.’’—Letter to directly from the federal treasury through community—in modern history. Major John Mason (1670) college financial aid offices. I cannot emphasize enough how ‘‘And having in a sence of God’s mer- This is bad, congressional opponents say, unique and utopian the vision of Roger ciful providence unto me in my because it furthers big government and hurts