April 14, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2503 Wisconsin’s architects while providing Fred Barnes, John cofounded the Week- of music, they became the first inter- educational, public awareness and ad- ly Standard, a conservative opinion racial duo to play bluegrass—pre- vocacy opportunities. Wisconsin archi- journal which he still writes for today senting many live performances and tects are at the forefront of tech- as a movie critic. Over the years, the radio shows until 1951, when both began nology, keeping abreast of energy effi- Standard has become more than just their service in the U.S. military. cient solutions that they integrate into required reading for conservative This duo remains to this day, histori- their designs. These innovations help thinkers—it is read by policy and opin- cally, our only interracial bluegrass Wisconsin communities become more ion makers of all political stripes, and duo. Although Mr. Meyers passed away sustainable and livable, a goal we can it has enormous reach inside the Belt- in 2000, Al Hawkes—now in his 80s, con- all agree on. way and well beyond. Thanks to John’s tinues to be involved in the bluegrass Further, I am pleased to commend contributions, the Standard has be- movement. Fortunately for all of us, AIA Wisconsin for its community in- come, Well, a standard of political the bluegrass duo’s recordings have volvement. Wisconsin AIA provides thought leadership. been preserved forever by Bear Family educational opportunities through or- John followed in his father’s foot- Records which has provided the Na- ganized programs, public lectures, ar- steps by becoming editor of Com- tion’s audience with a compact disc re- chitectural competitions and edu- mentary magazine, a profoundly influ- cording containing 70 minutes and 27 cational summer camps in our state. I ential journal that seamlessly tackles tracks of this special part of our Amer- am confident that AIA Wisconsin will the most pressing questions on polit- ican musical heritage. Furthermore, Al continue to provide these opportunities ical, social and cultural issues. In 2007, has been joined by several friends in and creative design solutions to create he launched the magazine’s widely read compiling a CD to benefit research a green economy in Wisconsin. and respected blog, Contentions, bring- combating Parkinson’s disease, which On behalf of our State and Nation, I ing Commentary into the new age of is forthcoming. thank AIA Wisconsin for a century of media. Just as he did with the Stand- Al continues to live in Maine and has work that has connected and improved ard, John continues to prove at Com- amassed a very valuable collection of Wisconsin’s architects, creating the mentary that ideas are powerful. American bluegrass and country re- landmarks we have come to recognize John is unafraid to challenge conven- cordings. He has been recognized by the as part of our great State’s heritage.∑ tional wisdom and he is an unabashed International Bluegrass Music Museum f defender of the values that make our as one of the pioneers in bluegrass at a country great: freedom, democracy, ceremony in Owensboro, KY. Al’s his- TRIBUTE TO JOHN PODHORETZ human dignity, and economic oppor- torical legacy is contained in a docu- ∑ Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, tunity. On top of all that, based on mentary entitled ‘‘The Eventful Life of today I wish to congratulate John watching and listening to him on that Al Hawkes,’’ which also recently aired Podhoretz, who next week will reach great day in August 2006 when his dear six times on Maine’s Public Broad- one of life’s momentous, and too often friend, Jacob Wisse, married my daugh- casting Network. His famous remark dreaded, milestones: turning 50 years of ter, Becca Lieberman, John Podhoretz about his musical history—that he be- age. John is today best known for his is a surprisingly impressive dancer and lieves there is a ‘‘bluegrass gene’’ work as editor of Commentary maga- singer! which he inherited—seems to reflect in zine and for his regular column in the So, Mr. President, I congratulate his additional musical accomplish- , but these activities John on 50 years well done. He has ments, playing with other bluegrass only scratch the surface of his career. enormous personality, a great sense of and country stars throughout the years While, God willing, John has many humor, and a lovely family. I wish and being the recipient of 25 awards in more years ahead of him and much left them happiness on this occasion. John, the musical lexicon. to do here, I believe this milestone is Happy Birthday!∑ Beyond bluegrass, Al’s deep-seated an opportune moment to reflect upon f Maine legacy revolves around a huge his many unique and influential con- sign of a repairman which, to this day, tributions to publishing, punditry, po- TRIBUTE TO AL HAWKES is a famous landmark in southern litical thought, and pop culture. ∑ Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I fre- Maine. As a small business entre- Given his iconic lineage, it comes as quently come to the floor to speak preneur who ran both a TV repair and no surprise to me that John has accom- about a Maine small business that has dry cleaning business in the note- plished so much in his first five dec- done remarkable things in its commu- worthy Hawkes Plaza, Al actually ades. He was born of two intellectual nity, or a business owner who has made made and installed the famous icon giants, and Midge a lasting impression on his or her com- sign of the 13-foot high repairman who Decter, and grew up on Manhattan’s pany’s employees. Today, I wish to rec- once sported 385 light bulbs, fluores- Upper West Side. He studied at the ognize a Maine entrepreneur who has cent lights and moving parts which , graduated from an inspiring life story that many have gave the illusion of a walking repair- there in 1981, and then settled in Wash- never heard. It is with great pride that man. To residents’ delight, the sign— ington, DC, to begin his promising ca- I introduce to you a very special Maine although no longer sporting the cre- reer. resident and lifelong musician, Mr. ative lights or moving parts—still re- He served as to Presi- Allerton Hawkes, whose amazing con- mains a treasure which sustains gener- dents Reagan and George H.W. Bush tributions to Maine’s small business ational memories, nearly 50 years after and as special assistant to White House community and to the entire Nation’s Al built it in 1962. Indeed, Maine’s drug czar, . An accom- bluegrass legacy know no bounds. unique character has thus been sup- plished journalist and writer, John has Mr. Hawkes was born on Christmas ported by Al’s wonderful inventiveness contributed to , Day, 1930, in the city of Providence, RI. on several fronts throughout the years. the New York Post, US News & World Soon thereafter, when Al was 10, his Al Hawkes is truly a Maine and na- Report, and the American Spectator. family returned to the southern Maine tional treasure whose inheritance of He is a refreshing critic of film and city of Westbrook to live on an old that special ‘‘bluegrass gene’’ has pro- popular culture, and he once dabbled in family farm. As a young teenager in vided us all with the rich and enter- entertainment as a consultant to the the 1940s, Al began listening to blue- taining joy and privilege of listening to popular political fiction show ‘‘The grass music by tuning in to remote great, distinctive American music. I West Wing.’’ He is even a five-time Southern music radio stations, and he am proud that Al has chosen to stay in champion of the hit trivia game show was determined to play several Maine, and has led such a distinguished ‘‘Jeopardy!’’ stringed instruments often associated and varied career, from small business John is what I would call an ‘‘idea with bluegrass. He soon became friend owner and entrepreneurs, to pioneering entrepreneur.’’ He understands that with a man named Alton Meyers, and accomplished musician. I wish Al ideas have consequences and knows whom he met scavenging through all the best, and thank him for his out- how to spread those ideas near and far. record bins at a used furniture store in standing contributions to our Nation’s In 1995, together with and Portland. Because of their shared love cultural life.∑

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He was a man who served but the call to action was too strong. conflicts overseas, Edgar serves as a our country proudly during World War By June 1942 he received a commission testament to the belief that sometime II and was a survivor of the Bataan in the U.S. Army and was assigned as restraint is as powerful as force in Death March. I would like to honor his an officer in the 531 Amphibious Com- times of war. I am very appreciative of memory today. bat Regiment of the 1st Engineer Am- Edgar’s selfless service.The people of Mr. Chavez was a man of strength. He phibious Combat Brigade. France are thanking him today with had a strong faith, a strong will to sur- His unit specialized in supporting this award. Oregon thanks him for con- ∑ vive, and was described as the strength large amphibious invasions, clearing tinuing to make us proud. and patriarch of his large and loving the way for the infantry and keeping f the Army on the move. By November family. MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT As a member of the 200th Coastal Ar- 1942, Edgar’s outfit landed in Arzew, tillery and 515th Anti-Aircraft Bat- Algeria, where Edgar, determined to Messages from the President of the talion, Mr. Chavez served his country keep the situation as calm as possible, United States were communicated to in the Phillipines during World War II. went from house to house telling anx- the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his He was captured along with many ious Algerians unfamiliar with war or secretaries. other of his fellow soldiers and forced Americans that ‘‘we come in peace. We f are not here to harm anyone. We sim- to endure the horrors of the Bataan EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED Death March and the more than 3 years ply want you to surrender any weapons of captivity which followed. so that all armed resistance ceases.’’ As in executive session the Presiding Mr. Chavez is credited with saving He said later that ‘‘No one gave us any Officer laid before the Senate messages many lives during the horrific march— trouble and we collected so many arms from the President of the United picking up and carrying men to keep we could hardly carry them all.’’ States submitting sundry nominations This action set the tone for Edgar’s them from being killed. Mistaken for which were referred to the appropriate entire war experience and his later life. dead and put in a grave three times committees. As he prepared for the invasion of during his captivity, Mr. Chavez re- (The nominations received today are Italy, Edgar made a conscious effort to fused to give up. It was his strong faith printed at the end of the Senate pro- look for, and be grateful for, whatever in God, and also in those he served ceedings.) there was to be appreciated that day, with, which helped him and others sur- f whether it was food, a dry place to vive the inhumane conditions they sleep, reasonable weather, the friend- MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE faced. ships of comrades, and being well and After returning home he worked as a At 9:52 a.m., a message from the safe. As Edgar put it, ‘‘That change in farmer before continuing his service to House of Representatives, delivered by attitude helped make me a happier per- his country by reenlisting in the mili- Mr. Novotny, one of its reading clerks, son, for I stopped thinking that my tary and later taking a government announced that the House has passed contentment had to lie in the future job. the following bill, in which it requests when the war was over.’’ the concurrence of the Senate: Mr. Chavez’s strength extended be- After participating in the invasions yond the battlefield to his home life, H.R. 1217. An act to repeal the Prevention of Sicily and mainland Italy, Edgar and Public Health Fund. where he was the pillar of his large was moved to the southwest coast of family. He built the home that he and England in order to help ready allied At 3:16 p.m., a message from the his wife of 65 years, Susie, lived in and forces for D-day. He landed at Utah House of Representatives, delivered by was known as the man who could fix Beach on the upper French coast on Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, an- anything and could always be found June 6, 1944. Early that morning he no- nounced that the House has passed the tinkering away at a project. ticed a battalion medical aid station following bill, in which it requests the His family will miss his strong-willed was under intense fire. Recognizing the concurrence of the Senate: and loving personality, and certainly danger to those helpless soldiers, he H.R. 1473. An act making appropriations feel the void left by Mr. Chavez’s pass- scrambled to find a more protected for the Department of Defense and the other ing. Let us take a moment today to re- area. He came across an abandoned departments and agencies of the Government member Mr. Chavez and the remark- German concrete underground com- for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, able strength he shared not only with mand post. Dodging bullets and shells, and for other purposes. his family, but with our country during he ran back to help move the wounded The message also announced that the ∑ his service. to safety. House has agreed to the following con- f Edgar would later be part of the inva- current resolution, in which it requests sion of Okinawa, Japan, making him the concurrence of the Senate: TRIBUTE TO EDGAR PEARA one of the few veterans to serve in Afri- H. Con. Res. 43. Concurrent resolution pro- ∑ Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, on April ca, Europe, and the Pacific. viding for a conditional adjournment of the 14, the Government of France will Taking what he learned from his ex- House of Representatives and a conditional present the National Order of the Le- periences in war, Edgar dedicated him- recess or adjournment of the Senate. gion of Honor to Edgar Peara one of self to a life of internal peace and be- Oregon’s more modest heroes. came a staunch advocate of greater At 4:47 p.m., a message from the The Ordre national de la Le´gion peace for all humanity. He used his GI House of Representatives, delivered by d’honneur was established by Napoleon Bill to train for ordination as a Chris- Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, an- Bonaparte in 1802 as a way of recog- tian Science practitioner. During the nounced that the House has agreed to nizing exceptional merit regardless of Korean war, Edgar served as a Chris- the following concurrent resolutions, rank, class, or privilege. The Order re- tian Science chaplain at the U.S. Naval in which it requests the concurrence of mains the highest decoration in France Training Center, Great Lakes, IL. the Senate: and is being bestowed upon Edgar for After this duty he went on to become a H. Con. Res. 35. Concurrent resolution di- his service in that country during Unitarian Universalist minister. Edgar recting the Clerk of the House of Representa- World War II. has worked diligently to help others tives to make a correction in the enrollment of H.R. 1473. Already highly decorated by the find the same peace he discovered in H. Con. Res. 36. Concurrent resolution di- United States for bravery and valor, his own heart and to help all mankind recting the Clerk of the House of Representa- Edgar’s story is indeed remarkable and achieve greater peace between neigh- tives to make a correction in the enrollment worthy of high praise. After the bomb- bors and nations. of H.R. 1473.

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