H2862 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 5, 2001 I am appointing Mr. John Mica of Florida WILLIAM HOLMES BROWN, and on behalf of Members who served to be my designee as provided for in Public FORMER PARLIAMENTARIAN OF here many, many years ago, Madam Law 100–696 Section 801 (40 USC para 188a HOUSE PASSES , we send our deepest sym- (c)). pathies to Bill’s wife of 30 years, Jean Thank you for your attention to this mat- (Mr. WOLF asked and was given per- ter. mission to address the House for 1 Smith Brown, and their daughter, Sara Sincerely, minute and to revise and extend his re- Holmes Brown. VERNON J. EHLERS, marks and include extraneous mate- RESIGNATION OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN, THE Chairman, Joint Committee on the Library. rial.) HONORABLE WM. HOLMES BROWN, AND AP- Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I am POINTMENT OF THE HONORABLE CHARLES W. f saddened today to announce to our col- JOHNSON AS PARLIAMENTARIAN leagues the passing on May 27 of Wil- (HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES—SEPTEMBER 20, APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO 1994) CAPITOL PRES- liam Holmes Brown, who served as par- liamentarian of the House from 1974 to The SPEAKER laid before the House the ERVATION COMMISSION following communication from the Parlia- 1994. He was 71 years of age. Not only mentarian of the House of Representatives, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without did I have the pleasure of working with objection and pursuant to Section which was read: Bill Brown in the House, but I was also Hon. THOMAS S. FOLEY, 801(b) of Public Law 100–696, the Chair privileged to be his Congressman. He announces the Speaker’s appointment Speaker, House of Representatives, , lived at Oakland Green Farm in Lin- DC. of the following Members of the House coln in Loudoun County, Virginia, DEAR MR. SPEAKER: In March of this year, to the Preserva- property which had been in the family I completed my thirty-sixth year with the tion Commission: for more than eight generations. House of Representatives. In July, I com- Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina; Bill began his service in the Parlia- pleted my twentieth year as Parliamen- Mr. LATOURETTE of Ohio. mentarian’s Office in 1958 when he was tarian. There was no objection. In the past few months, circumstances, appointed Assistant Parliamentarian both personal and professional, have focused f by Speaker . In 1974, he my attention on retirement. It has been a was named to the position of Parlia- difficult decision to reach, but I have con- PRESCRIPTION DRUG mentarian by Speaker . He cluded that it’s time for a change. BENEFIT NEEDED succeeded the legendary Lewis Desch- The office which I have been privileged to ler, with whom he had collaborated in hold continues to be both challenging and re- (Mr. BACA asked and was given per- volumes of ‘‘Precedents of the House of warding. It is fascinating to encounter—al- mission to address the House for 1 most daily—fresh interpretations of rules Representatives,’’ referred to in the minute and to revise and extend his re- and bill language which require constant House as the Deschler-Brown Prece- marks.) evaluation of yesterday’s assumptions and dents. During his years in the House, Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, Congress conclusions. The House changes from year to he served under six Speakers. Besides needs to adopt a Medicare prescription year, with new Members and staff and cir- Speaker Sam Rayburn and Carl Albert, cumstances always reshaping this institu- drug benefit, rather than making false he served under John McCormack, Tip tion; what does not change is the reservoir of promises to American seniors. O’Neill, , and . intellect and inventiveness which character- The Republican plan will not guar- He retired from the House in 1994. izes those who work in the legislative branch antee affordable prescription drug cov- During his service in the House, he of our government. Daily interaction with erage for our seniors. The Republican such talented people makes the congress a worked to develop parliamentary uniquely fascinating place to work. plan takes its first step toward projects in newly emerging democratic privatizing Medicare, forcing seniors to I could not have done this job without a lot republics in Eastern Europe, partici- of help, without the love and support of my deal with private insurance companies. pating in seminars and training pro- family, who have learned to live with long Those of us can remember what hap- grams for representatives of other na- hours and erratic schedules; without the pened in when they said that tional legislative bodies. After he re- teamwork at the rostrum and in all the sup- we would have plenty of energy. We de- tired as Parliamentarian in 1994, he port offices of the House; without the res- regulated, and yet we do not have the worked for the Agency of International ervoir of personal commitment and profes- energy, yet the prices continued to go sional strength from my colleagues in the Development on a parliamentary devel- Office. Among the deputy and the assistant up. opment project in the Ukraine. We do not want prices to go up for a parliamentarians there is a wealth of experi- Members today can thank Bill Brown ence and talent. Their accumulated service lot of our seniors. More than one-third and thank his staff, many here today, totals over 80 years. Each is dedicated to the of the 35 million Medicare beneficiaries for organizing the Office of the Parlia- proposition that the rules of this great insti- currently have no prescription drug in- mentarian, moving it into the Com- tution should be applied and enforced with- surance coverage. puter Age and making the House prece- out political considerations. All are open to I did a study in my district that dents available online for all to access. Members and staff with respect to the rules shows that seniors are being impover- Bill was the ultimate professional and precedents which govern and guide the deliberations of the House and its commit- ished by drug prices. San Bernardino and dedicated public servant. He was seniors pay an average of 90 percent tees. They are all exemplary public servants; held in the highest regard by Members they can and will continue to carry out the more than seniors in Canada and Mex- on both sides of the aisle because his responsibilities of the Office in a manner ico. work reflected his dedication to the which reflects the best traditions of the Individuals should not be sacrificing proposition that the rules of the House House. We share a lasting bond and I will their fixed income for the sake of pro- should be applied and enforced without miss these friends whom I admire and care tecting themselves instead of spending political considerations. for so deeply. it on leisure or other items. What they Bill was born in Huntington, West I owe a great debt of gratitude to all the Speakers whom I have been fortunate to have to do now is budget themselves. It Virginia. He was a 1951 graduate of becomes very difficult, and yet they do know: Sam Rayburn, who first appointed me Swarthmore College and received his as an assistant parliamentarian on the rec- not want to continue to suffer. law degree from the University of Chi- ommendation of my legendary predecessor I plan to have a press conference on cago. He served on active duty in the as Parliamentarian, ; John prescription drugs on June 18 at the Navy from 1954 to 1957 and then served McCormack, who shared his anecdotes and Rancho Cucamonga Senior Citizens in the Naval Reserve from 1954 to 1974, love of the House during long evening con- Center from 8 a.m. to 12 noon to ad- retiring as a lieutenant commander. versations in the Speaker’s Rooms; Carl Al- dress these needs. He was director of the Conversations bert, who had faith enough in my abilities to I ask that we adopt affordable, vol- at Oatlands organization and the appoint me as Parliamentarian during a very untary, reliable Medicare prescription tumultuous time in the history of the House Loudoun Museum and a member of the and has continued to be a valued mentor drug coverage for all seniors. It is our Catoctin Farmers Club and Goose since his retirement; Thomas P. ‘Tip’ responsibility to protect them. It is Creek Friends Meeting. O’Neill, whose good humor and warmth to- America’s responsibility to see that On behalf of the House, and on behalf ward me survived some parliamentary deci- they can all afford medical coverage. of Members on both sides of the aisle, sions which he must have found vexing; Jim