September 30, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1867 TRIBUTE TO HAROLD E. FORD lead us and share his opinions. I wish you well TRIBUTE TO TONY BEILENSON in your new life after Congress. Bust most of HON. all, I want to thank you SAM for showing us HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER OF how to fight for our beliefs. OF ILLINOIS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES f Saturday, September 28, 1996 Saturday, September 28, 1996 Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise THE BRIDGE FUND Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, TONY BEILEN- SON of California has been, throughout his 20 to commend my colleague the Honorable HAR- years as a Member of this body, my kind of OLD E. FORD. He has achieved an uparalleled reputation of providing service to his constitu- HON. NITA M. LOWEY Congressman. Quietly effective, never partisan ents, and his fellow colleagues. or rude, always thoughtful, always a gen- OF NEW YORK He has demostrated commitment to improv- tleman. TONY is respected universally by both sides of the aisle as a Member who places ing the lives of all perople. He effectively rep- HON. SUE W. KELLY resents ubran districts through his assign- fairness and even-handed treatment above ments on the Ways and Means Committee. OF NEW YORK partisan advantage, and his service as a He has played a pivotal role in the legisla- member of the Rules Committee has always tion of health care reform, taxation, and wel- HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL reflected this approach. He has left a legacy of that kind of leadership that does credit to the fare reform. OF NEW YORK Knowing you, retirement is not the end of a Congress of the United States, and we will career, but the beginning of some brand new Saturday, September 28, 1996 miss him greatly. one. If the Congress is to continue to be the kind It has been my pleasure serving with you, Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, My colleagues, of body that lives up to the ideals of our and it gives me great joy to wish you an abun- Representive SUE KELLY and ELIOT ENGEL, Founders and the expectations of our people, dance of happiness during your retirement. join me in paying tribute to the Bridge Fund, we will need many more TONY BEILENSONS f an innovative service organization in West- here in the future. It is sad commentary that chester Country that was founded 6 years ago the type of Member favored by the media in TRIBUTE TO REPRESENTATIVE to prevent homelessness. America and the type increasingly elected GIBBONS here in recent years have favored the par- The Bridge Fund receives referrals of indi- tisanship, bad manners, and ill-will that in- viduals and families in danger of eviction or creasingly reflect the worst in our culture. In HON. foreclosure from a wide range of social service OF MASSACHUSETTS the face of all too much of this environment in and community organizations in the county. the House, TONY BEILENSON's calm voice of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Bridge Fund offers these individuals finan- reason and thoughtful leadership stands out. Saturday, September 28, 1996 cial assistance, interest-free loans and grants, All of the Members of the House wish TONY Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I and intensive counseling. well in all that he undertakes in the future. He would like to take a moment to pay tribute to The average cost to the Bridge Fund for takes with him into retirement our respect, ad- a colleague, friend, and mentorÐSAM GIB- preventing a family or individual from becom- miration and appreciation for representing al- BONS. SAM GIBBONS was first elected to Con- ing homeless is approximately $1,000. By ways the best among us. gress in 1962 and he has been honorably comparison, the average expense for main- f serving the 11th District of Florida ever since taining a family in the public shelter system of AUTHORIZING STATES TO DENY he was first elected. Westchester County is $4,000 per month. PUBLIC EDUCATION BENEFITS I have been privileged to serve with SAM not Since the average stay in the shelter system TO CERTAIN ALIENS NOT LAW- only as Member of the House, but as member is now 37 months, the total cost of keeping a FULLY PRESENT IN THE UNITED of the Committee on Ways and Means, the family in the shelter system for the average STATES oldest Committee in the House. I had the op- stay could be $148,000Ðmore than the Bridge portunity to serve with SAM both in the major- Fund's total net outlays last year. Prevention SPEECH OF ity and minority. I was amazed at the adjust- of homelessness is a great investment for our HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD ment he made from the majority to the minor- community. The work of the Bridge Fund ity. OF CALIFORNIA makes fiscal sense, and it makes humani- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES During the Contract With America, there tarian sense. were many bleak days for the Democrats, es- Wednesday, September 25, 1996 pecially those of us on Ways and Means. We Currently the Bridge Fund is offering a num- Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise were meeting everyday to work on agenda ber of critical services to the residents of in strong opposition to H.R. 4134. that we felt was the wrong direction for Amer- Westchester County. The Bridge Fund runs a It is indeed a sad day in the long history of ica. The manner in which SAM championed food pantry with the support of the Jewish our country when Members of this esteemed the rights of the elderly reminded me of the Community center of White Plains. The food body must come to this Chamber to plead that tradition of another great Representative from pantry assists families with food staples in the right to an education given to all children Florida, . SAM kept on fighting times of crisis so they can continue to pay in this country by our Constitution should not and he inspired us all. We pulled together and their rent. be violated. rallied behind his energy to prevent enactment The Bridge Fund also runs several There is no question that we all want to pro- of drastic Medicare cuts. mentoring programs. A budget mentoring pro- tect our borders. The fact is, however, that Not only did he champion the rights of the gram teaches families budgeting skills, and H.R. 4134 will do nothing to stem the flow of elderly, he watched out for our future by ensures a stable environment by helping them illegal immigration or lessen the burden on our strongly advocating children's rights. I hope keep their finances in order. And the Bridge schools. It will, instead, significantly reduce the many of us do not forget the image of SAM Fund's client mentoring program allows them quality of life for all Americans. The bill will GIBBONS during the welfare debate wearing to follow up with the families they assist. substantially increase costs to school districts his ``Save the Children'' tie with a brightly These follow-up visits have shown that over and State and local governments by requiring painted school bus. His emotion reminded us 90 percent of families helped by the Bridge them to use scarce resources to act as INS of the gravity of the debate before us. Those Fund remained in the housing the Bridge Fund agents to document the legal status of all stu- of us who continue to serve should uphold the dents. preserved for them. principles SAM GIBBONS displayed. And, there is no doubt that foreign appear- I was disappointed when I first heard the The Bridge Fund has provided a critical ing and speaking children will be discriminated news of SAM's retirement. I remember reading service to Westchester County's families against. This bill will only serve to create a cli- his statement about how he was going to start through their innovative approach to prevent- mate of fear and distrust in which the children another phase of his life and it is time to move ing homelessness. We are proud to pay trib- of U.S. citizens may also be harassed, or pre- on. I know at 76 years of age SAM has lots of ute to the Bridge Fund for its efforts to combat vented from enrolling in school if they are un- fight left in him and I hope he continues to homelessness on our streets. able to provide the necessary documents.