Congressional Record—Senate S1029
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March 1, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1029 David Kearns was the former chief Corporation, and with David’s leader- trying to persuade Republicans that I executive officer of the Xerox Corpora- ship raised $70 million in private cap- was their natural nominee for Presi- tion who, during the 1980s, led that cor- ital for that. That attracted hundreds dent of the United States. I wasn’t suc- poration to win back the copying mar- of design teams from around the coun- cessful in that, but I was enthusiastic ket from the Japanese. Along the way, try with ideas for how to create better about it. I had made to a Republican he found time to become America’s schools. President Bush hosted a num- group what I thought was an especially most effective business leader who was ber of America’s business leaders at good speech. During the speech, I a champion of education reform, espe- Camp David to help make that happen. talked about my work in the U.S. De- cially for pushing new technology into We worked with Diane Ravitch to partment of Education and I talked schools. He served as Deputy Education create an effort to implement stand- about David Kearns—about his leader- Secretary under the first President ards for the national education goals ship and about how he helped do all the Bush while I was the Secretary of Edu- that President Bush had helped to set things I have just mentioned. After the cation in 1991, 1992 and 1993. in 1987 with the Nation’s Governors. speech, an enthusiastic Republican I remember first meeting David These were the goals for math, science, lady came up to me and said: That was Kearns in 1990, when I was president of history, English, and geography, and a wonderful speech. Thank you very the University of Tennessee and had we took important steps toward that. much, I said. Now I know who should my office in Knoxville. He came into Today, the common standards States be President, she said. Well, thank you, my office, and on the way he said hello are adopting owe some of their begin- I said. She smiled and said: David to every single person in the outer of- nings to those efforts. Kearns. That was the opinion that she fice, and every single other person he We established commissions to look and I and almost everyone who met met while I was there. And he remem- at extending the school day. We pushed him had of David Kearns, whose 80 bered every single one of their names. for technology in the schools. The years in this country have been very I didn’t forget that, and they didn’t President proposed in 1992 a GI bill for special. forget him. When David Kearns left the kids, which would give scholarships to I thank the Presiding Officer, and I University of Tennessee from that visit poor kids so they could choose any yield the floor. I bought his book about education re- school, public or private or religious, The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- form and read it. so they could have more of the same pore. The Senator from North Carolina. Later that year, President Bush choices of good schools that kids with Mr. BURR. Madam President, are we called me and asked me to become his money had. in morning business? Education Secretary. I asked the Presi- By the time we left in 1993, every The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- pore. We are. dent if I could put together my own State in America had their own version Mr. BURR. I thank the Presiding Of- team, subject to his approval, and then of America 2000—it was Tennessee 2000 ficer. if we could put together our own plan, or New Hampshire 2000 or Kansas 2000— subject to his approval. Those were two moving toward the educational goals f of the smartest questions I ever asked, community by community. None of REMEMBERING FRANK BUCKLES because that meant I didn’t have to go that would have happened without through the White House staff to get Mr. BURR. Madam President, I wish David Kearns’ enthusiasm, skill, and the team cleared or the policy cleared. to take a moment in this Chamber to leadership. I could go directly to the President. honor the passing of the last doughboy, In 1992, during a riot over Rodney Mr. Frank Buckles, the last of those And as soon as I had that permission, I King in Los Angeles, President Bush called David Kearns and asked him if World War I veterans. Mr. Buckles was sent David to represent him. David had he would be willing to be the Deputy America’s last living World War I vet- a strong background in civil rights. Secretary of Education in the U.S. De- eran and he died Sunday in West Vir- While he was there, he telephoned me partment of Education. ginia. His death came 1 month after his I knew it would be hard to persuade and said: This is the hardest phone call 110th birthday, which he celebrated on him to do so. He was at the peak of his I have ever had to make. I have cancer. February 1 with his family. career. He had just retired as one of He had just discovered he had cancer of Frank Buckles was dedicated to serv- America’s best known business leaders. the sinus. When he came back, he had ing his country at all cost. He enlisted His friends said: Why in the world an operation and the operation gradu- in the U.S. Army when he was only 16 would you go into the government and ally destroyed his eyesight. years old. Throughout the Great War, subject yourself to all that abuse and That was 20 years ago, but it didn’t Mr. Buckles proved himself to be a take a secondary position in a minor stop David Kearns. During that time, brave soldier. He served on the RMS department? I asked President Bush to he created the Kearns Center for Lead- Carpathia, drove ambulances and mo- call David Kearns and recruit him, and ership at the University of Rochester, torcycles in France and England, and he did, appealing to his patriotism. where he graduated and served as escorted prisoners of war back to Ger- They both served in World War II. trustee for many years. Then to help many. David had such a passion for edu- him get around, because he couldn’t Mr. Buckles lived to see our country cation, he came on board, and it was see, or could barely see, he invited a at war several more times in his life. terrific that he did. It was a privilege young man each year to go with him He even survived as a prisoner of war to work with such an accomplished ex- and help him see and do what he need- during World War II. He had been cap- ecutive. Employees in the Department ed to do. For those young men—nearly tured while working for a shipping of Education loved having him around. 20 over the last 20 years—that has been company in the Philippines. Having him there helped recruit a dis- a remarkable opportunity to be in the As a soldier and as a civilian, Mr. tinguished team of leaders for the De- presence of one of America’s great Buckles lived a life defined by hard partment and we put together what we mentors at an early stage in their work, love of country, and a sense of thought, over 2 years, was a pretty im- lives. duty to his fellow citizens. His passing pressive program working with Presi- Everyone who knew David Kearns ad- marks the loss of a generation that dent Bush. mired him and loved him. A few days shared those same values, a generation Some of the ideas sound very famil- ago, I spoke with Shirley Kearns, Da- that built America into the country it iar today, especially to former Gov- vid’s wife of 56 years, and reminded her is today. My thoughts go out to his ernors. One idea was break-the-mold of what she already knows: how much family. schools. Today we call them charter David’s friendship meant to me. Honey It is also important we recognize schools, or start-from-scratch schools. and I will be thinking of them today that Mr. Buckles’ death is an impor- The thought was to have one in each and tomorrow in Rochester. We will be tant moment for all of America. Our congressional district—535 of them— thinking about Shirley, their 4 daugh- country should come together to honor funded by $1 million of seed money ters, 2 sons, and 18 grandchildren. Mr. Buckles and an entire generation from the Federal Government. For me, one story sums up David that has done so much to build a world To support those schools, we created Kearns’ life better than others. I think where democracy and freedom are cele- a new American Schools Development back to 1995, when I was in Utah. I was brated values. This is the reason that I VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:24 Oct 29, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD11\RECFILES\S01MR1.REC S01MR1 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S1030 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 1, 2011 cosponsor, with my colleague from very close to a consensus bill the Sen- of the Patent and Trademark Office and un- West Virginia, Senator ROCKEFELLER, a ate can and should pass to help create dersecretary of commerce for intellectual resolution I hope our colleagues will good jobs, encourage innovation, and property, said in a recent interview.