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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 158, Pt November 30, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 158, Pt. 12 16045 career in the Senate and House of Rep- his dog, Dakota, on daily walks on the fore being charged as a spy. After a resentatives serving the great people of campus of Dakota Wesleyan Univer- sham trial, Mr. Gross was sentenced to South Dakota left a lasting legacy sity, sometimes stopping to eat at the 15 years in prison. filled with numerous accomplishments university cafeteria and visit with stu- Alan Gross a Maryland native, is a and achievements. Senator McGovern dents. former social worker who spent a quar- inspired me and many others into pub- Senator McGovern once said that ter of a decade working in inter- lic service. ‘‘politics is an act of faith,’’ meaning national development—helping people Like my mother, Senator McGovern that you need faith that the people can around the world. A graduate of the was a PK, a preacher’s kid, and I recall make good and moral decisions. He had University of Maryland, Mr. Gross has from my mother’s memories that this that faith, and his life of moral and in- lived in Potomac, MD for many years. was not easy. Senator McGovern often tellectual leadership has made it easier I’ve met his wife on numerous occa- talked about growing up not only as a for all of us to carry that faith forward. sions and her continued strength and Methodist PK who couldn’t attend One of the characteristics that I focus inspires me. While her husband movies, but also as a child of the De- most admired in Senator McGovern has been held in a Cuban prison, she pression, living in a small parsonage was that his belief in good and moral has held down the fort and held the that shared the little they had with decisions extended to leaders in both pressure on the Cuban government for those in the congregation who had even parties, and led to his lifelong friend- its poor treatment of her husband. less. ships with statesmen like the afore- Despite facing severe health prob- His Methodist background provided mentioned Senator Dole, with whom he lems and complications caused by his the foundation for his deep sense of formed a deep friendship as they imprisonment, Alan Gross has re- morality and social justice. It was the worked on hunger issues, and William mained strong. He has developed a force that led him to be a lifelong ad- Buckley, with whom he delighted in de- daily routine to maintain his strength. vocate for feeding the hungry, for serv- bating the issues whether in public, on Yet he has lost more than 100 pounds, ing his country as a bomber pilot dur- ‘‘Firing Line’’, or over a drink as they has difficulty walking, and has a large ing World War II, and then returning traveled together debating their oppos- mass behind his shoulder that has gone home to work for peaceful solutions to ing views. untreated. The information shared by international conflicts. Senator McGovern knew and valued the Cuban government about Mr. Each chapter of Senator McGovern’s what so many have forgotten today; Gross’s medical condition is incom- life was as riveting and spellbinding as that America needs a strong two-party plete and raises new concerns for his the chapters of the many books he system built on respect and coopera- family. penned over the years. Numerous hon- tion if we are to survive as a democ- Mr. Gross’s family has also encoun- ors were bestowed upon him, including racy. tered substantial health problems of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the He also found time to write 14 books their own over the past 3 years and World Food Prize, and the Air Medal. on political issues and philosophy. And they are facing significant financial From his heroic military service he found time to check off a few items hardship. His mother has inoperable where he flew 35 missions as a B–24 Lib- from his personal bucket list. In his lung cancer and the family is con- erator pilot and earned the Distin- late eighties, he parachuted from an cerned they will not have a chance to guished Flying Cross for making a haz- airplane. He drove a stock car at a be together to say goodbye. The fam- ardous emergency landing of his dam- local speedway. Even this past sum- ily’s contact with Mr. Gross remains aged plane and saving his crew; his te- mer, as he was to observe his 90th extremely limited. nacious advocacy in fighting world birthday, he had hoped to fly a B–1 air- I have been hopeful that America and hunger and working to provide school craft. Cuba could move closer together—in meals for millions of children in dozens With all of his accomplishments, per- trade, in community connections, and of countries; to his unwavering and haps his greatest was his marriage to for the individual families that have passionate support of various social Eleanor. I will never forget the opening been separated. Yet, concern over the programs, his strongly stated political of the McGovern library in Mitchell, detention of Alan Gross has put a hold views, and his wisdom on a spectrum of SD, which Eleanor was too weak to at- on efforts to improve relations and the contemporary political and world tend, and how affectionately he case shows that Cuba is not serious issues, Senator McGovern’s life has had touched the newly unveiled statue of about moving forward and has stalled a profound impact on our nation and her standing with him, as they had any effort in the Senate to move to- world. stood together throughout their lives. wards normalizing our relationship. He traveled the world to advocate for We can rejoice today that they are President Obama has stated that better nutrition programs and estab- now reunited and with their children until Cuba’s current government im- lish efforts to fight hunger. He was the Terry and Steve. They lived the lives proves human rights and freedoms, the first U.N. Global Ambassador on World that John Wesley admonished them to embargo against Cuba remains in our Hunger. He was the first director of the live when he said: Nation’s national interests. What had Food for Peace Program under Presi- Do all the good you can. By all the means become a yearly effort to modify the dent John F. Kennedy. He developed you can. In all the ways you can. In all the embargo was halted in the Senate this the ‘‘McGovern Report’’, which led to a places you can. At all the times you can. To year because of the continued deten- new set of nutritional standards and all the people you can. As long as ever you tion of Alan Gross. The Cuban govern- guidelines for Americans. He joined can. ment needs to heed what it has heard longtime friend Senator Bob Dole in es- f from Senators and now hears from me: tablishing the McGovern-Dole Inter- if you unjustly imprison our citizens, national Food for Education and Child ALAN GROSS we cannot and will not improve the re- Nutrition Program that provided Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, Mon- lationship between our countries. school meals to millions of children. day, December 3, will mark the third In a recent letter to the Cuban gov- He served 3 years as U.S. Ambassador anniversary of the imprisonment of ernment, I and several of my Senate to the United Nations Agencies for Alan Gross by Cuba as a political pris- colleagues called for the release of Mr. Food and Agriculture. oner. Gross on humanitarian grounds. The Yet Senator McGovern never forgot In 2009, Mr. Gross went to Cuba on a government’s response has called our the people of South Dakota, residing USAID contract to assist the Jewish request illegitimate. This is not the many months out of the year in his community in improving access to the way to move forward. That is why I hometown of Mitchell, location of the internet by installing wireless equip- will join with Senators CARDIN and George and Eleanor McGovern Library ment. He was arrested by the Cuban MORAN to submit a resolution that will and Museum. George would often take government and held for 14 months be- apply additional pressure on Cuba to VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:40 Jun 30, 2017 Jkt 019102 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR12\S30NO2.000 S30NO2 jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD 16046 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 158, Pt. 12 November 30, 2012 let Alan come home. I want to close by watched Big Blue’s romp over Green Bay cut’s most dedicated and admired pub- sending my continued thoughts and Sunday night. He also had the luxury of lic officials, former Stonington first se- prayers to Mr. Gross, his wife Judy, roaming the home team’s sideline after the lectman, James Spellman, Sr., who first quarter, and then got a choice seat next and their family. I think of the chal- to Justin Tuck after the game. Not a bad passed away at the age of 92. lenges you are facing daily and I re- way to spend a few days in the Big Apple. Mr. Spellman’s legacy of public serv- main hopeful that you will all be re- ‘‘That’s the happiest I’ve seen him in a ice is remarkable. Elected 12 times united soon. Your strength and deter- long time, Heather Merchant said of her son.
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