E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1998 No. 26 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was 10:30 a.m, as previously agreed to, the IN MEMORY OF CECILE called to order by the President pro Senate will proceed to a rollcall vote POMERLEAU tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. on or in relation to the McCain amend- Mr. LEAHY. February might be seen The PRESIDENT pro tempore. To- ment regarding demonstration projects as a month when our family would end day's prayer will be offered by our to S. 1173, the highway bill. Following the customary mourning period follow- guest Chaplain, Rev. Anthony Johnson, that vote, the Senate will attempt to ing the death of Cecile Pomerleau. from Mount Hebron Baptist Church, in complete action on the remaining However, for our family this has been Baltimore, MD. He once lived in South amendments to the bill, including final a time of remembering more than Carolina. passage. Following disposition of S. mourning, and that is the way she 1173, the Senate may begin consider- would have wanted it. PRAYER ation of S. 414, the international ship- Cecile was a beloved mother to my The guest Chaplain, Rev. Anthony ping bill, under a short-time agree- wife, Marcelle, and her brothers, Rene Johnson, of Mount Hebron Baptist ment. In addition, the Senate may also and Claude, a loving and loved grand- Church, Baltimore, MD, offered the fol- begin consideration of H.R. 2646, the A+ mother to Kevin, Mark, and Alicia lowing prayer: education bill. Therefore, Members Leahy, and Mark and Paul Pomerleau, God of all our comfort and Father of should anticipate a busy voting day to the spouses of her grandchildren, to Mercy, we acknowledge that You are with votes occurring into the early nephews and nieces, and adopted the Sovereign God of this great Nation. evening. daughter Sister ConsolataÐand with- We thank You for the freedom that I yield the floor. out a doubt, the best mother-in-law I You have provided us. We pray that The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The could have. You will direct us as we help the less able Senator from Vermont is recog- For Cecile, family, above all else, was fortunate and those in need. Give us, O nized. her world. Even in her final illness, her God, a heart of compassion and under- Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, is there ailments seemed to melt away when standing. Bless this great body of men time reserved for the Senator from Marcelle was there to care for her or and women from across this country, Vermont? when she knew her sons were arriving as they come together to be the voice The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Fif- to be with her, when Kevin and of this Nation. May they speak for the teen minutes is reserved. Christianna visited and brought her child who cannot speak. May they home, when Mark and Kristine sat stand for the mother who cannot stand. f with her as they planned their new life May they walk for the ones who cannot together. A very special visitor was her walk. And in all that they do, may it THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE ``favorite'' and only granddaughter, be done to Your glory and honor. We Mr. LEAHY. I note that it is not the Alicia. Trips from Chicago by Mark acknowledge our weakness and realize ``Acting'' President pro tempore here and Paul Pomerleau meant so much to that we cannot do anything without today. It is the President pro tempore. her. You. Allow Your light to continue to I note that the President pro tempore I so greatly benefited from her love shine on us and in us each and every has probably opened the Senate in his and our daily talks and visitsÐand had day, we pray. Amen. capacity as President pro tempore in her the most loyal and accepting of f more than any President pro tempore I any constituent! Even when I thought I did poorly in a Senate debate, she was RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING have served with in almost 24 years. I commend him for his dedication to there to tell me I really won. MAJORITY LEADER At her funeral, our son, Mark, talked opening the Senate. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The of living with his grandmother while able acting majority leader is recog- f going to school. Here was a strong nized. willed, young teenager living with a f grandmother who was comfortable in a MORNING BUSINESS different language and different cus- SCHEDULE The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. toms from his own. Mr. BROWNBACK. On behalf of the BROWNBACK). Under the previous order, As he told us his story, with humor majority leader, I announce that this the Senate will now be in a period of and love, we saw a grandmother want- morning the Senate will be in a period morning business until the hour of ing to move across generations to help of morning business until 10:30 a.m. At 10:30 a.m. her grandsonÐand a grandson meeting · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S1811 S1812 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE March 12, 1998 her at the generational chasm to ac- minutes of the exercises!'' I would seek my been a long long road to arrive to this day. cept her love. When he walked past the revenge by playing Chopsticks! which was She never lost her patience, always kept casket bidding farewell in French to absolutely forbidden as that was never con- smiling, never neglected to express her ap- his grandmother, all of us, through our sidered classical music. The memories are preciation, saying goodbye to her last piano endless with all the novenas, Masses, wed- student only about a year ago and always tears, knew the bond. dings and, yes, funerals she played for. She with rosary in her hand. Cecile nearly left us a decade earlier. used to like to count the black dresses at Mom, your whole life was quite a concert. The love, sacrifice and nursing skill of weddings and the red hats at funerals back It was harmony with your music, your fam- her daughter, brought her back to life in the days when these weren't considered ily and friends and your God. We will con- and gave her those extra years of ful- proper. Then all the concerts we went to and, tinue to sing your praises. Au revoir. fillment. at the recitals where we had to participate, Mr. LEAHY. Cecile's son, Rene, I have often said that Marcelle's vo- always a nightmare for this participant, and spoke for himself and his children, cation as a registered nurse is aided by Saturday afternoon with the metropolitan Mark and Paul Pomerleau, and Mark's a God-given gift of healing. And no opera blaring from the radio throughout the house. wife, Alison Paul. I ask unanimous place was it more evident than when Some of my fondest memories are of the consent that Rene's comments be caring for her motherÐindeed as she times we had all of these things combined. printed in the RECORD. became her mother's mother. Christmas was something else with midnight There being no objection, the mate- Marcelle brought us the essence of Mass, Mom playing the organ, her two feet rial was ordered to be printed in the her mother when she said the following on the pedals, one hand on the keys and the RECORD, as follows: in a memorial service for Cecile at the other in the air directing the choir with a REMARKS BY RENE POMERLEAU few head movements thrown in as she sang Goodwin House. Mon's death was blessed relief. The going as well. Dad would sing at least one solo and I was struck by one part of the his- was long and hard and she wanted to go. And we three kids would be singing in the choir it was hard for Marcelle and Pat, who were tory of her mother who had a profes- too. For me this was all great and exciting there and supported her in her need. And it sorship in music at the age of 17 but as it meant when it was all over there would was hard for those of us who loved her and was told, of course, because of that be our ReÂveillion at home. generation, and especially being a Of course it was the family, the choir who the care givers, and couldn't be there to were all our friends but then more friends help. woman, she would have to wait a year And it was the same way with Dad. before she was old enough to go out came and the priests too. There would be But I'm going to miss her very much. I into the world. Even though she had singing, laughing, gifts, and food. Mom was miss them both very much. known for her tourtieÁre, tartelette, fruit demonstrated the talent, genius, and Mom was a friend. Both Mom and Dad were cake and nut goodies, to mention only a few friends. More and more I realize what a good everything necessary to get the profes- things. She would have been preparing for sorship, she would have to wait 1 more fortune that was, one that a surprising num- weeks and what a feast it would be, our beds ber of the people I know, and know of, can't year.