Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 145 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1999 No. 94 Senate The Senate met at 10:30 a.m. and was lessly for the betterment of all the peo- tween the two leaders. The Senate is called to order by the President pro ple of this great Nation, that we wit- then expected to resume consideration tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. ness in our time the fulfillment of the of the pending and long-suffering agri- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. To- vision of the Psalmist, ``They that sow culture appropriations bill. Therefore, day's prayer will be offered by our in tears, shall reap in joy,'' so that votes are expected to occur. guest Chaplain, Rabbi Shimshon from all the upheavals which shatter I thank my colleagues for their at- Sherer, Congregation Khai Zichron the soul of society today shall emerge tention. Mordechai, Brooklyn, NY. a new world of hope, tranquility, and The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The We are pleased to have you with us. serenity, for the glory of God and all able Senator from Pennsylvania. mankind. Amen. Mr. SPECTER. I thank the Chair. PRAYER Mr. President, I thank my distin- f The guest Chaplain, Rabbi Shimshon guished colleague, Senator MOYNIHAN, for yielding 2 minutes prior to the time Sherer, offered the following prayer: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE that his special order takes effect. Our Father in heaven: We stand be- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Sen- f fore Thee in humble supplication as we ator SPECTER will now lead the Senate yearn for divine inspiration, for guid- in the Pledge of Allegiance. RABBI MORRIS SHERER ance, and for wisdom. We turn to Thee The Honorable ARLEN SPECTER, a Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have in gratitude for this group of excep- Senator from the State of Pennsyl- sought this recognition to compliment tional men and women of good faith vania, led the Pledge of Allegiance, as Rabbi Sherer, who has just delivered dedicated to this great Nation and to follows: the Senate prayer. all its people. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the We are recognizing the outstanding We bless Thee, O God, for a most pre- United States of America, and to the Repub- work of Rabbi Sherer's father, also cious gift that Thou bestowed upon the lic for which it stands, one Nation under Rabbi Sherer, who died a little more United States of America, upon the God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for than a year ago. Present today in the Jewish people, and indeed upon all of all. Senate gallery are some 200 representa- mankind, in a person, a man of history f tives of a national convocation to rec- who came to be a symbol of visionary RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING ognize the outstanding work of the de- leadership and uncompromising integ- MAJORITY LEADER parted Rabbi Sherer. rity. We pay tribute to the life and leg- I must say that Rabbi Sherer's com- acy of the saintly revered rabbi, Rabbi The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The ments this morning about freedom of Morris Sherer. able acting majority leader is recog- religion and the impact on everyone in We pray to Thee, Almighty God, that nized. America, but with special reference to his memory inspire the Members of f Jewish Americans, is of great signifi- this august body, the U.S. Senate, to cance to me because both of my par- find within their hearts an echo of his SCHEDULE ents came from foreign lands to the nobility of spirit, selfless devotion, and Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, today United States and were pleased and compassion for all in need, to dem- the Senate will be in a period of morn- honored to pledge their allegiance to onstrate for all to see that beneath the ing business until 12:30 p.m. with Sen- the United States of America. outer veneer of our Nation's bureauc- ator MOYNIHAN, or his designee, in con- My father left a shtetl, a small com- racy beats a warm heart in which the trol of the time between 10:30 a.m. and munity, Batchkurina, in Ukraine, to anguished cry of the depressed, the de- 11, Senator GRAMS, or his designee, in come to the United States in 1911 at prived, and the disadvantaged strikes a control of the time between 11 o'clock the age of 18, barely a ruble in his responsive chord. in the morning and 12 noon, and Sen- pocket, literally walked across Europe, Give us the understanding, O God, to ator SPECTER, or his designee, in con- took steerage in the bottom of a boat grasp the true import of the sacred ob- trol of the time between 12 noon and to come to America to seek his for- ligation we have, to open our hearts 12:30. Following morning business, the tune, as did my mother who came with and hands to bring the bounties of life Senate will stand in recess until 2:15 her parents when she was 5 years old in to every man, woman, and child in our p.m. so the weekly party conferences 1905 from a small town on the Russian- midst. can meet. Polish border. They settled in America. O Father in heaven, bless this distin- When the Senate reconvenes at 2:15, They raised their family in America. guished assemblage of people deter- there will be an additional 2 hours of My father fought in the American Ex- mined to work effectively and tire- morning business equally divided be- peditionary Force to help make the · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S7757 . S7758 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE June 29, 1999 world safe for democracy and, in his al- fering under the terrible injustices of I am delighted and personally privi- legiance to his new-found country, rose Hitler's regime, and he helped many to leged to have the opportunity from this to the rank of buck private. Next to his escape to gain refuge here in the podium, in this body, to extend my family, the greatest honor he had was United States of America. condolences again to Rabbi Sherer's serving in the U.S. Army. Not only was Rabbi Sherer a man of wife, children, grandchildren, and great Freedom of religion is fundamental action, but he was a man of persist- grandchildren, and to recommend his Americana, and the Rabbi's prayer ence. He followed through. When the stature, his principle, his integrity, his today brings it home to us. And I want- war ended, he didn't forget about the persistence, and his activism as models ed to express my own views of thanks brothers and sisters who still remained to all Americans. for this country, what it has done for in the ruins of Europe. Under his lead- I thank the Senator from New York my parents and what it has done for ership, Agudath Israel shipped food and for according me this time and this my brother, two sisters and me, and religious articles to Jews in displaced privilege. my sons and our granddaughters. persons camps and he helped those who I yield the floor. I thank the Chair, I thank Senator wanted to emigrate. Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, we MOYNIHAN, and yield the floor. Rabbi Sherer's story, as we all know, thank the Senator from Missouri for The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROB- continues in this same line and his phi- his moving, eloquent tribute. ERTS). The distinguished Senator from losophy of activism and persistence I yield such time as he may require New York is recognized. guided Agudath Israel in America for to my eminent friend, the Senator Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I be- decades. He fought on behalf of Jews from Connecticut. Mr. LIEBERMAN. I thank my friend lieve Senator ASHCROFT would like to endangered behind the Iron Curtain, and colleague from New York. I thank speak at this moment. those who were endangered in Syria, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Senator LOTT for agreeing to set aside Iran, and anywhere in the world where ator from Missouri. this time this morning to honor the he saw that injustice was an imposi- Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I memory of Rabbi Moshe Sherer. I tion upon the liberties of individuals thank the Senator for accommodating thank Senator MOYNIHAN for providing me from the time reserved for his con- and discrimination that deprived indi- the dignity that is always his but the trol. viduals of their opportunity to reach intimacy that reflects the relationship I am glad for the opportunity to the potential that God placed within. he had with Rabbi Moshe Sherer. I He brought this attitude with him as stand in the Senate today to honor thank my friend and college classmate he ascended to the presidency of Rabbi Morris Sherer, who passed away from Missouri who just spoke so im- on May 17 last year. Today, I believe Agudath Israel of America in 1963 and pressively about this extraordinary the very best way to pay tribute to to the chairmanship of Agudath Israel man. Rabbi Sherer's memory is to celebrate World Organization in 1980. I am honored to have known Rabbi his inspiring accomplishments. In all of these roles, Rabbi Sherer Moshe Sherer, a blessed memory. I met When Rabbi Sherer became the exec- demonstrated the unique talent, him after I became a Senator and bene- utive vice president of Agudath Israel unique character that provided him fited, as anyone did, from the oppor- in America in 1941, the organization with the capacity to unite people from tunity to be in his presence, from his was but a small group with but a few disparate backgrounds and interests.