May 1, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E689 BEN GILMAN: A REAL FRIEND OF the Irish National Caucus, to conduct an in- other stars too numerous to mention; and fi- THE IRISH vestigation of the hiring practices of U.S. nally the current Steelers, the reigning AFC companies doing business in Northern Ire- champions. All these memories have one con- land. This was the first-ever American study HON. TOM DeLAY of those companies and it marked the gen- stant. That constant is Dick Hoak. OF TEXAS esis of the MacBride Principles. As we honor Dick Hoak this evening, we re- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Gilman has been a champion of every member the enormous contribution he has Irish issue: the Birmingham Six, the Guil- given to the Steelers as both player and Wednesday, May 1, 1996 ford Four, the right of political prisoners coach. When Dick graduated from Penn State Mr. DELAY. Mr. Speaker, I commend to our etc. He has been absolutely fearless on the in 1961, he was drafted by the Steelers in the colleagues an article written by Father Sean Irish issue, never allowing the State Depart- seventh round. During his 9 years as a player, McManus, the president of the Irish National ment or any foreign government to silence Dick led the Steelers in rushing for 3 years Caucus, that appeared in the Irish Echo on him. and also was named to the Pro Bowl in 1969. One of the first things Chairman Gilman April 3, 1996, about our colleague, Chairman did early on in the 104th Congress was to Dick is the fourth highest leading rusher in BEN GILMAN of New York. hold hearings, the first on Northern Ireland Steelers' history. This article describes the efforts of the Re- since 1972. Then, despite heavy lobbying and Dick also has made a profound impact as a publican Congress to fight for fairness and pressure, he attached the MacBride Prin- Steelers' coach. For the past 24 years, Dick peace in Ireland, and the great leadership of ciples to the International Fund for Ireland. has been in charge of the offensive backfield BEN GILMAN on these issues. The House International Relations Commit- and most recently has exclusively coached the BEN GILMAN is proving that Republicans in tee, after spirited debate, voted on the issue running backs. Under Hoak's guidance, the the Congress do fight for justice around the on May 15, 1995. There are 41 Members of the Steelers have produced such notable running Committee. Thirty-two voted for MacBride world, especially in Ireland. I applaud him for Principles, only 8 voted against. And yet for backs as Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Frank his leadership, and I urge my colleagues to all those years I had to listen to Lee Hamil- Pollard, Earnest Jackson, and more recently read the following article: ton tell me there was no interest in the Com- Barry Foster and Bam Morris. Dick has the MY IRISH HERO ISA JEWISH CONGRESSMAN mittee on MacBride. distinction of being the longest-tenured coach (By Fr. Sean McManus) The MacBride legislation is part of the in Steelers' history. I don’t think that Irish Americans are suf- American Overseas Interest-Act, H.R. 1561. I am honored to present Dick with this letter ficiently aware of the extraordinary revolu- The legislation has now been passed twice by of commendation. The city of Jeanette is truly tion that has taken place in the U.S. Con- the House of Representatives. It has also blessed to call Dick one of its own. been endorsed by the House and Senate Con- gress regarding Irish affairs. f For over 20 years the Irish National Caucus ference. And the entire Republican Leader- had campaigned for Congressional Hearings ship—from Sen. Jesse Helms—are all on A VISION OF VALUES on Northern Ireland. But famous Irish- record of supporting the MacBride Prin- Catholic speakers of the house—with names ciples, while the State Department opposes like O’Neill and Foley—steadfastly blocked these efforts. HON. JAMES A. BARCIA all hearings. They didn’t want to offend Her What an extraordinary political realign- OF MICHIGAN majesty’s government: ment. None of which could have happened IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES without Ben Gilman’s leadership. ‘‘An ad hoc Irish committee of 119 mem- Wednesday, May 1, 1996 bers has been formed in Congress. But the For years I have been preaching the mes- committee’s attempts to publicize the out- sage: ‘‘Human Rights for Ireland is an Amer- Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, all too often peo- rages being committed in Northern Ireland, ican issue—not just an Irish-American ple dwell upon the failings of our society, and issue.’’ And I deeply believe that. Nonethe- along with the efforts of the Irish National ignore the true accomplishments of many de- Caucus, have been blocked by House Speaker less, I am still deeply touched when someone who is not Irish stands up for Ireland. And voted Americans. Nowhere is this more evi- Tip O’Neill and other congressional leaders dent than in the case of talking about the mis- (Jack Anderson, ‘‘Carter Pressured on North- there are many in the Congress who do: Afri- ern Ireland,’’ Detroit Free Press, Oct. 29, can-Americans, Italians, Polish, Jewish, etc. fortunes of those who either lose their jobs or 1978. Rep. Gilman is Jewish American. Isn’t it simply fail to find one all together. I want our When the MacBride Principles were extraordinary that it took a Jewish Amer- colleagues to know about a man who believes launched in 1984 we had an even more legiti- ican to move the Irish agenda to the very top that success breeds success, and who for mate reason for hearings because U.S. dol- of the U.S. Congress? Isn’t it truly amazing more than 30 years has worked to have that that while some powerful Irish Americans in lars were subsidizing anti-Catholic discrimi- success serve as the foundation for even nation in Northern Ireland, where Catholics Congress were too scared to take a stand, this quiet, unassuming man has emerged as more success. I am talking about Rev. Leon are twice likely to be unemployed as Protes- H. Sullivan, the founder of the Opportunities tants. But again—and now under speaker Ireland’s best friend in the U.S. Congress. Tom Foley—hearings or legislative action Every Irish-American worth his or her salt Industrialization Centers of America, Inc. were blocked. Furthermore, the then-chair- must stand up and cheer Ben Gilman. He is There are many people in our society who man of House Foreign Affairs (now called my Irish Hero. need retraining to gain improved skills to find International Relations Committee, Rep. I should end by explaining that the Irish new jobs, and others who need basic training Lee Hamilton, the Indiana Democrat, kept National Caucus is nonpartisan: neither to find meaningful jobs. Since 1964, Reverend Democrat nor Republican. So I do not want telling me there was no interest in the Sullivan has worked to provide comprehensive MacBride Principles among members of the readers to think this is a pro-Republican ar- ticle. It is not. In fact, I’ve personally never employment training and placement for dis- Committee. advantaged, unemployed, and unskilled Amer- This was a deeply distressing experience. voted Republican in my life. But then, I’ve We knew we had a perfectly valid case for a never lived in Ben Gilman’s district. icans. Many of us recognize the symbol, OIC, hearing, yet it was being unfairly and f and have seen it in our congressional districts. undemocratically blocked in the interest of I am sure, however, that not many fully appre- the English government (with the conniv- TRIBUTE TO DICK HOAK ciate the effort and devotion demonstrated by ance of the then Dublin Government). Reverend Sullivan over these years. Yet oddly enough, some Irish Americans HON. RON KLINK The first OIC was founded in an abandoned thought that when the Republicans seized OF PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia jailhouse. It expanded to more control of both House and Senate in 1995, the than 70 centers around the country, and 28 Irish cause would suffer. But not this Fer- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES centers overseas. In its more than 30 years of managh man. The first thing the Republican Wednesday, May 1, 1996 takeover meant to me was that our very best operation, OIC has trained and provided as- ally, Rep. Ben Gilman of New York would be- Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, when I think of the sistance to more than 1.5 million people. come chairman of the House International past 35 years of the Pittsburgh Steelers orga- Particularly at times like these when we are Relations Committee. nization, certain memories come to mind. The looking for private solutions to significant na- Ireland has never had a more dedicated, rough and tumble Steelers of the early sixties tional problems like unemployment, Opportuni- consistent, or genuine friend than Ben Gil- with Bobby Layne and John Henry Johnson; ties Industrialization Centers are more impor- man. As far back as July 1979, Rep. Gilman, then the glory years of the seventies when the tant than ever before. Growing from his min- a member of both the Committee of Foreign Steelers won an unprecedented four Super istry at the Zion Baptist Church in Philadel- Relations and the Subcommittee on Inter- Bowls coached by Chuck Noll and under the phia, Reverend Sullivan established a day national Economic Policy and Trade, com- leadership of Terry Bradshaw, Mean Joe care center, a credit union, an employment missioned Rita Mullan, executive director of Greene, Jack Lambert, Franco Harris, and agency, a community center for youth and