February 12, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 154, Pt. 2 1933 the challenges of our time? Those are terrible costs of America’s revolution a profound personal commitment to the discussions the Abraham Lincoln could always be seen—in Lincoln’s human rights. We will remember not Bicentennial Commission hopes to fos- words—‘‘in the form of a husband, a fa- only his courage and his optimism, but ter as America prepares to celebrate ther, a son or a brother. . . . A living also his deep affection for his adopted the bicentennial of the birth of its history was to be found in every family country. He leaves behind a legacy of greatest President. . . . in the limbs mangled, [and] in the hope and inspiration. I encourage everyone to go to the scars of wounds received . . . ’’ On a personal level, it was an honor Commission’s Web site at Lincoln went on to say: to call TOM a colleague and a friend. I www.lincolnbicentennial.com, learn But those histories are gone. They were was proud to work with him on so more about Lincoln and about how the pillars of liberty; and now that they have many important issues. your community can plan to celebrate crumbled away, that temple must fall—un- I remember working with him to se- his birthday. President Lincoln’s less we, their descendants, supply their place cure funding to build a tunnel to by- adopted hometown of Springfield is with other pillars. pass a section of Route 1 that was so also my adopted hometown. I have I would like to think that Lincoln frequently closed by landslides that it lived there almost 40 years now. If you would be relieved if he could see this was known as ‘‘Devil’s Slide.’’ It took have ever been there, you know that great Nation today. We are 170 years years, but they broke ground on the around every corner in downtown further removed from our Founders tunnel in November. And it is a fitting Springfield is another powerful re- than we were when the young Lincoln tribute to the passion with which he minder of Abe Lincoln. The small spoke those words at the Lyceum, but served his constituents that there is a house at the corner of 8th and Jackson, America is still filled with patriots bill before the State senate to name the only home Lincoln ever owned, is who know and are willing to defend our that tunnel in his honor. just a block away from my Senate of- founding principles. There are many of Congressman LANTOS was a true fice. His law office, right near the old us, and we are vastly more diverse than statesman, and we will miss him. My State capitol, is an amazing place, re- the Americans of Lincoln’s time, but heart goes out to his family during this stored and visited by so many because there is still in us a deep and pas- time of grief. They are in our thoughts of its meaning in his daily life as an or- sionate longing to be one nation, one and in our prayers. dinary lawyer in central Illinois, the people, undivided. old State capitol building where he We saw a glimpse of that desire in f warned prophetically that a House di- the dark days after 9/11. Sometimes we APPROPRIATIONS EARMARKS vided could not stand. This beautiful wondered if we could ever recover that Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, on Oc- building was restored in 1976 as part of sense of national unity and purpose. tober 23, 2007, Senator DEMINT and I our bicentennial. The old State capitol But look what is happening today. had a debate in the Senate on Senator is one of my favorite in the State of Il- There is a deep longing in America DEMINT’s amendment to strike $3.7 linois. today to transcend old divisions in million in grants in the Appropriations My special thanks to a good friend of order to meet our new challenges. It is bill for Labor, Health and Human Serv- mine, an architect named Earl Wallace a longing that goes far beyond political ices and Education with $2.2 million Henderson III, who was called on to do parties and labels of all kinds. We have going to the AFL–CIO Appalachian a magnificent job of restoring and re- not forgotten the principles on which Council and $1.5 million to the AFL- modeling that old State capitol. And our Nation was founded, nor have we CIO Working for America Institute. now, just a couple blocks away, my forgotten the lessons Abraham Lincoln This funding applied to job-training pride and joy as an elected official taught us. Our unity is our strength. programs covering some 11 States and from Springfield, IL, is the Abraham Together we can overcome any chal- the District of Columbia. Lincoln Presidential Library and Mu- lenge. We can finish the unfinished During the course of the debate, Sen- seum. It is just 3 years old. It is al- work of America and become a ‘‘more ator DEMINT made the following state- ready the most visited Presidential li- perfect union.’’ ment: brary in America. I love that place. I f go to a lot of museums and Presi- This amendment is part of an effort to dential museums. I don’t know of an- MORNING BUSINESS clear up what a lot of us have called the cul- ture of corruption over the last several other one, though, that really captures Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask years. A lot of this has come from Americans the spirit of the President so effec- unanimous consent that the Senate connecting the dots between the earmarks tively and lures children in for beau- proceed to a period of morning busi- that we give to our favorite causes back tiful exhibits and movies that they ness, with Senators permitted to speak home and many of the campaign contribu- don’t forget. Kids walk out of the Abra- for up to 10 minutes each. tions and political support that we get back ham Lincoln Museum with their moms The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without here in Congress. While motivations are gen- and dads and say: Can we go back? It objection, it is so ordered. erally good, at best the appearance of what warms my heart every time I hear of is going on here has alarmed the American f people. the record numbers of people who are visiting. REMEMBERING CONGRESSMAN When I outlined my reasons for sup- It was also in Springfield that a 28- TOM LANTOS porting these grants, Senator DEMINT year-old Lincoln, a member of the Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, Cali- replied: State legislature, delivered a speech fornia and the entire Nation lost a re- I agree with all the purposes the Senator that still speaks powerfully to us markable leader yesterday with the stated, all of the ideas of getting teenagers today. We know it as the Lyceum Ad- passing of my friend, Congressman TOM to work in Philadelphia. All of those things are good. I am not taking argument with any dress. Lincoln was told to speak about LANTOS. of them. If the AFL–CIO is the best source to whatever he liked. He chose as his sub- From his leadership as chairman of deliver these services, there should not be ject ‘‘the perpetuation of our political the House Committee on Foreign Af- any problem with this at all. All we are ask- institutions.’’ He expressed a concern fairs to his founding of the Congres- ing is to make this a competitive grant so that would later be echoed many times: sional Human Rights Caucus, Congress- that we can have criteria and accountability What would happen to America when man LANTOS went about his work with in a system so that what we want to accom- its Founding Fathers and those who a dignity and a seriousness that tran- plish will actually get accomplished. fought to gain our liberty were gone? scended politics. In a time of bitter di- Senator DEMINT’s amendment was How could we sustain America if new visions, he earned the respect of col- rejected on a 60–34 vote. generations had no knew leaders to in- leagues from both sides of the aisle. After the floor debate and vote were spire them with original ideas of our As a survivor of the Holocaust, Con- over, Senator DEMINT and I discussed Republic? Until then, the truth and gressman LANTOS brought to Congress the issues in the debate. Senator

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