E1514 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks August 3, 1998 TRIBUTE TO CARL SMITH lowed taxpayers to handle homestead exemp- defense programs, which serve a national as tions by mail. opposed to parochial purpose. It must also be HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE In Matthew 5, it is written, ``Let your light so recalled that when Alaska was made a state- OF TEXAS shine before men, that they may see your hood, it had to forego the benefit of reclama- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES good works and give glory to your Father who tion projects such as those found in the lower is in heaven.'' Carl Smith's light still shines, 48. In addition, the federal government owns Friday, July 31, 1998 even now. And we should bask in the memory and controls two-thirds of Alaska's lands, but Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, of his accomplishments. has awfully slow to show rural Alaskans any Henry David Thoreau once said, ``[T]he death Carl Smith revolutionized the operations of benefit this had brought them. of friends will inspire us as much as their lives. the Harris County Tax Office. The office now For these reasons, the Denali Commission . . . Their memories will be encrusted over works as an efficient, yet cordial entity, and it is justified, necessary, and vital to the well- with the sublime and pleasing thoughts, as will serve as Mr. Smith's continuing legacy. being of Alaska's rural people. monuments of other men are overgrown with I offer my sincerest condolences to Mr. f moss; for our friends have no place in the Smith's family and friends. We will miss his graveyard.'' Carl Smith was such a friend to wisdom and his honorable achievements. But CONTINUING OUTRAGES IN BURMA the citizens of Harris County, and we should we will never forget him. memorialize him in our thoughts today for his f HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER tireless work and remarkable dedication. OF ILLINOIS APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON As the Tax Assessor-Collector of Harris IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES County, Texas, Mr. Smith advocated tax ex- H.R. 4060, ENERGY AND WATER emptions for deserving members of society DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS Friday, July 31, 1998 such as Senior Citizens and the Disabled. He ACT, 1999 Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to also strove to pass the four-year term bill. express my outrage about the treatment of An astute member of the government, Mr. SPEECH OF Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi Smith drafted necessary legislation that pro- HON. DON YOUNG by the corrupt and repressive Burmese military vided a pension system for elected County OF ALASKA junta. For six days this week Daw Suu sat in- and District Officials. In addition, he obtained IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES side her car in the middle of a highway in a the requisite support for the Constitutional defiant stand-off with the ruling junta because Wednesday, July 29, 1998 Amendment that also provided a pension for they refused to let her meet with members of County and District Officials. Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, this her political party. Yesterday, the military Carl Smith's value to the Harris County motion is an attempt to obstruct an effort to re- ended the stand-off by forcibly taking her to community was not limited to his post as Tax dress some of the most abject poverty and liv- her home in Rangoon. Assessor-Collector. He somehow found the ing conditions of people living in rural Alaska. This is the third time in recent weeks that time and resolve to hold other public roles of The motion makes no sense whatsoever, un- the military has attempted to stop Daw Suu equal worth. Such endeavors included his po- less proponents are contending the federal from meeting with supporters. Once again, the sitions as the Past President of the Tax As- government has no role to play in fostering Burmese military has shown that there is no sessor-Collector's Association of Texas, the public works projects and iniatives to improve length to which it will not go to suppress the Past President of the International Association the life of our rural areas. forces of democracy and freedom inside of Assessing Officers, a member of the Texas Many communities in Alaska, most of which Burma. This ongoing campaign of harassment Association of Assessing Officers, and a are Native villages, do not have public works of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League former member of the Tax Assessor Examin- projects such as those taken for granted by for Democracy has again focused attention on ers Board of Texas. most communities in other states. The pro- the plight of the Burmese people. I hope that Carl Smith's exemplary service has not posed commission will complement Alaska's all of my colleagues will join me today in gone unrecognized. He has received a citation ongoing work to alleviate the nearly Third standing with our fellow duly-elected rep- for Meritorious Service by the President's World conditions brought on by the absence of resentatives in Burma and join their call to Committee on the Employment of Physically basic infrastructure, such as modern water take their rightful places in parliament. The Handicapped and an award for Meritorious and sewage treatment or safe and environ- Burmese people have been denied their rights Achievement by the Houston Committee for mentally sound bulk fuel storage. for too long. The time is now for freedom, de- Employment of the Physically Handicapped. In Because of the magnitude of the problemÐ mocracy and human rights to come to Burma. 1990, Mr. Smith was named ``Governmental unsafe water, lack of modern sewage treat- I submit the attached editorial from the Employer of the Year'' by the Harris County ment, infant mortality, alcoholism, suicide, lack Washington Post, July 29, 1998, to be in- Commission for the Employment of Disabled of job opportunityÐa commission chartered by cluded in the RECORD. Persons. He also was the recipient of ``The Congress will advance efforts to grant a shim- [From the Washington Post, July 29, 1998] Book of Golden Deeds'' Award by the Ex- mer of hope to those who know only hope- change Club of Houston. lessness in these rural areas. BURMA’S DESPERATE GENERALS We should not overlook the fact that Carl Let me offer just one example of why the Since last Friday a seemingly frail but Smith was not only a sagacious Tax Asses- Denali Commission is necessary. Forty per- spiritually indomitable woman has been blockaded inside her car on a rural highway sor-Collector, but he was also a knowledge- cent of rural Alaska lacks flush toilets. Resi- in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi, 53, rightful able academic and legal authority. Mr. Smith dents of these areas literally haul raw human leader of her Southeast Asian nation, had set studied night school at the University of Hous- waste in honeybuckets and dump them in a out from her home in the capital to meet ton Law School and South Texas, and he community lagoon sometimes leading to out- with a political supporter in the provinces. passed the bar in 1934 upon his graduation. breaks of viral minengitis. Americans should But the general-thugs who have hijacked the Eventually, he would serve a great many not be living in these conditions in this day leadership of Burma, fearing her popularity years as Chairman of the Jurisprudence Com- and age. and the serene certainty with which she bat- mittee of the statewide County Assessor's As- These problems have not been ignored by tles for democracy, have blocked the road. They refuse to let her move forward, and sociation. He also was a member of the Texas any stretch of the imagination: Congress and Aung San Suu Kyi—insisting on her right to State Bar Association and the Houston Bar the State of Alaska have been cooperating for travel and meet with colleagues—refuses to Association. several years to devote resources to correct- go back. As I stand here before you to eulogize Carl ing these problems. However, these efforts She would no doubt be surprised to learn, Smith, I am reminded of his ingenuity and cre- have the effect of a ``scattershot'' approach to then, if the message could reach her isolated ativity, as well as his dedication to the tax- solving a $1 billion problem. The Denali Com- vehicle, that she ‘‘is not a captive.’’ This is payers. In an effort to provide greater conven- mission is a single entity that can bring a uni- one of the contentions of the junta’s rep- ience for the taxpayers, as a newly-appointed fied direction and approach needed for some resentative to Washington in a letter to the editor published on this page today. It is no Tax Collector-Assessor, Mr. Smith established of the poorest areas of the country. surprise that the letter is full of half-truths sub-stations and branch offices throughout There has been a lot of talk on the Floor about the extent of her freedom, the ability Harris County. He was the first Tax Collector- about how generous the government has been of foreign diplomats and journalists to visit Assessor to have substations issue license to Alaska. In fact, it has not been very gener- her and so forth (yes, she could leave the plates and voter registrations. Moreover, he al- ous. Many of the funds Alaska receives are in country, but the thugs would undoubtedly