December 15, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2235 in his sons, who are carrying on the family trolled anger at a demagogic attack or a rhe- When Minority Leader Dick Gephardt asked restaurant business and will help keep the torical cheapshot. The hush that would enve- me to take a slot on the Ethics Committee, Cace legend alive. Gerard operates the Long- lope the chamber when Julian’s voice rose Julian told me I had no choice—it was my was palpable. Be it an effort to override the obligation to the institution in which I had view establishment; Danny operates the res- decision of D.C. voters or its City Council the honor to serve. taurant in Tyler, and John operates the res- through an amendment to his D.C. appro- Julian’s friends in L.A.—he loved them taurant in San Antonio. priations bill or an attack on the all too fre- dearly and they loved him in return. When Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to pay my quent disaster relief appropriations for Los he first ran for Congress in 1978, he started as last respects in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Angeles, when the voting began Members a distinct underdog, representing much less to an outstanding American and an exemplary you could never imagine would flock to his of the district than one of his opponents, individual who was beloved by his family, position, deferring to his judgment and much less well-known than the other. (Ju- moved by his passion. friends, and the citizens of Longview, and who lian had mastered the art of remaining rel- But this was the unusual occasion. While atively unknown to the general public)—or will be truly missedÐJohnny Cace. I’ve chosen not to even attempt to enu- so I thought until today. His friends came f merate them, most of his myriad legislative through for him like gangbusters. They set accomplishments were achieved behind the new records for fund-raising within the Afri- EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE scenes, with little fanfare. can-American community, providing the re- HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF THE In the Spring, 1999, Justices Thomas and sources and the volunteers to send him to a HONORABLE JULIAN C. DIXON, Souter appeared before his subcommittee to substantial victory. He never forgot them. MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM testify for the Supreme Court’s budget re- I never met an elected official who was so quest. The nearly complete absence of mi- THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA attentive to people who could do nothing for norities and the under-representation of him politically. He always had time to share women as law clerks to the Supreme Court a word with the Rayburn subway driver, the SPEECH OF justices deeply disturbed Julian. In typical elevator operator, the committee secretary. HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN fashion, Julian did not seek to rectify the There was always enough time to help the situation by crafting an amendment (which former staffer. He was not one to look over OF CALIFORNIA would never have passed), nor did he hold a your shoulder to see if someone else in the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES high profile press conference. He did not hurl room had more money, more power, more in- Friday, December 8, 2000 insults. Rather, with appropriate deference fluence. and a deft and direct explanation of just why One of the true joys of my life in Wash- Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday this was so intolerable, he made his case and ington were my frequent dinners with Ju- I had the unwelcome honor of participating in thanked them for listening. The Justices ex- lian. We glided from House business to local the funeral service for our beloved late col- pressed their appreciation for the way he politics to our families effortlessly. From league, JULIAN DIXON. I submit the remarks I chose to deliver his message and lo and be- those dinners, Bettye, I know how much you made therein the RECORD. hold, in the next term the increase in minor- meant to him, how strong you were, how ity and female clerks was dramatic, if not proud he was of your tremendous success in It is said that grief and mourning are in re- yet adequate—classic Julian Dixon. business. ality selfish emotions, because we are really As the Cold War ended, Julian left the for- Julian was filled with good advice—but he overcome by what we have lost. I’m feeling eign assistance subcommittee (where he had was not infallible. One evening he indicated pretty selfish right now because I’ve lost my fought for foreign aid generally and aid to that he had begged Johnnie Cochran not to closest friend in public office. Israel specifically) and joined the defense ap- take the O.J. case, there was no way he could It’s a sunny morning in November, 1972 as propriations subcommittee. As California win and it would destroy his career. I board the flight to Sacramento to attend slid into recession and unemployment in his Julian was a throwback to a different po- freshman orientation for the newly elected own district rose, he worked with Jerry litical era, where discourse was civil, where members of the State Assembly. As fate Lewis to fight for California jobs and defense adversaries at work could have a drink to- would have it, my seatmate is Julian Dixon, conversion projects. He persuaded his col- gether in the evening, where not every inter- whom I’ve never met before, also newly leagues and the Pentagon to fund joint action was defined by whom was benefitted elected. It is the start of a deep and enduring school district—National Guard mathe- in the next election. friendship, an ‘‘odd couple’’ relationship be- matics and technology—enrichment pro- Perhaps, just perhaps, Julian Dixon’s ca- tween the slightly self-righteous Jewish guy grams in high schools throughout Los Ange- reer and life can be instructive to us as we from the San Fernando Valley—who cut his les. What good is it, he said, to have high embark on a new Congress with a new Presi- political teeth in the left of center reform tech weapons and inadequate training for the dent. I think the American people want what wing of our party and the more moderate kids who will be using them. He was particu- Julian offered—true to his beliefs and still and wise African-American party regular larly proud of his success in initiating and able to see the other side, solving problems from Central Los Angeles mentored by the funding residential programs for ‘‘at risk’’ and working to make our community and late Speaker Jess Unruh and then State Sen- youth from the inner city. He went where country a better place—and even having a ator Mervyn Dymally. the money was, and produced for the people little fun while we’re doing it. Dr. King once Together we went through a traumatic about whom he cared so much. said ‘‘If a man is called to be a Speakership fight, Assembly leadership posi- This week’s Congressional Quarterly head- streetsweeper, he should sweep the streets tions pioneering and often successful legisla- lined its article on Julian’s passing—‘‘Re- even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven tive initiatives, a wild and crazy Jerry membered for Selflessness, Taking on composed music or Shakespeare composed Brown governorship and developed a rela- Thankless Tasks.’’ He chaired the Ethics poetry. He should sweep streets so well that tionship where we could share the most inti- Committee for six years and has been the the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to mate of details and in subsequent years won- ranking Democrat on the highly sensitive say, ‘here lived a great streetsweeper who derful social occasions with our wives, House Intelligence Committee, where he did his job well.’ ’’ Bettye and Janis. grappled on a bipartisan basis with our coun- Julian—you were a great Congressman, Thomas Jefferson once wrote ‘‘on matters try’s critical national security issues. Little and you did your job well. We’ll miss you of style, swim with the current; on matters publicity, less glory and no fund-raising po- more than you could have imagined. of principle, stand like a rock.’’ He describes tential. Add to the ‘‘thankless tasks’’ his f our friend. many years chairing the District of Colum- Julian Dixon had the uncanny ability to bia appropriations subcommittee, where he H.R. 4868 stake out his position, detach himself from fought for the city in which he was born and that position, step into the other person’s raised, particularly because its residents to shoes, subordinate his own ego and shrewdly this day are denied equal political represen- HON. BILL ARCHER calculate how to address his advisory’s con- tation. OF TEXAS cerns in order to attain his original objec- Now this latter position did carry some tive. If it meant taking less credit than he clout. In the mid-1980s, I accompanied Julian HON. PHILIP M. CRANE deserved, so be it. He surely holds the record to an anti-apartheid demonstration in front OF ILLINOIS for fewest press conferences by a Member of of the South African embassy, a sure ticket HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL Congress. to jail. When we were booked I remarked the OF NEW YORK But no one who knew him could mistake jail looked rather spiffy. Julian indicated his calm demeanor, his thoughtful approach that indeed it did, that before the daily dem- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and his remarkable efforts at bipartisanship onstrations started he had suggested to key Friday, December 15, 2000 for a lack of passion or commitment to a D.C. officials that they might want to give it progressive pro-civil rights, activist agenda. a new paint job to impress the many Con- Mr. ARCHER. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of One of the remarkable scenes on the House gressmen who would be passing through. myself, and my colleagues, Mr. CRANE and floor was watching this serene and sedate Julian’s loyalty to and love for the House Mr. RANGEL, we would like to submit the fol- man rise to levels of eloquence and con- was apparent to anyone who knew him. lowing statement for the RECORD.
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