E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997 No. 148 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speak- The Chaplain, Reverend James David A message from the Senate by Mr. er, let me begin by expressing the deep Ford, D.D., offered the following Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- appreciation of all those assembled for prayer: nounced that the Senate agrees to the the eloquent prayer offered by our In all the moments of life or death we report of the committee of conference Chaplain, Jim Ford, who is not only a are grateful, Almighty God, that Your on the disagreeing votes of the two great leader in times of distress but in Spirit is with us to give strength when Houses on the amendments of the Sen- this case a close personal friend of the we are weak, to nurture us along life's ate to the bill (H.R. 2107) ``An Act mak- deceased, our friend, WALTER CAPPS. I hope we have an opportunity today way, and to sustain us with the prom- ing appropriations for the Department and later this week to have many ise of everlasting life. of the Interior and related agencies for We remember with gratitude and love Members come to the floor to express the fiscal year ending September 30, our friend and colleague, WALTER their strong feelings about WALTER 1998, and for other purposes.''. CAPPS, a Member of this assembly, who CAPPS. There is much good to remem- died last night. We recall his winsome f ber, even though his time with us was presence and his abiding confidence in EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE rather brief. We have yet to even reach the goals of justice for every person, of HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF HON. the anniversary of his election, and ob- equality in the eyes of government, WALTER H. CAPPS, REPRESENT- viously he did not serve the entire first and of understanding and unity be- ATIVE FROM THE STATE OF year of his term. But WALTER CAPPS tween people of differing traditions and CALIFORNIA had made an impact here because of his backgrounds. Our prayers reach out to wisdom, his maturity, his sense of pro- Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speak- portion, and his bipartisan goodwill. his family and those near and dear to er, I offer a privileged resolution (H. him, that they will be supported by A professor from the University of Res. 286) and ask for its immediate con- California at Santa Barbara for over 30 Your perfect grace, O God, and sus- sideration. tained by Your love and care. years, he came here and quickly devel- The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. oped the ability of a pragmatic and ef- Remind us, O God, of those concerns HOBSON). The Clerk will report the res- that were close to his heart, and bring fective politician and public servant, olution. without losing the perspective of some- us together in greater understanding The Clerk read as follows: until we meet again. ``So teach us to one who had spent his life studying re- number our days that we may gain a H. RES. 286 ligion and its effect on the human soul. heart of wisdom'' (Psalm 90:12). Amen. Resolved, That the House has heard with He was truly ecumenical in his ability profound sorrow of the death of the Honor- to communicate between religions and f able WALTER H. CAPPS, a Representative here across party lines. THE JOURNAL from the State of California. WALTER CAPPS is the kind of individ- Resolved, That a committee of such Mem- ual who rarely comes our way. It is ob- The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- bers of the House as the Speaker may des- ined the Journal of the last day's pro- ignate, together with such Members of the viously a great loss when we have ceedings and announces to the House Senate as may be joined, be appointed to at- failed to get from his public service the his approval thereof. tend the funeral. benefits that we could have easily an- Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the ticipated. nal stands approved. House be authorized and directed to take His wife, Lois, is here today, as she such steps as may be necessary for carrying has been with him, inseparable from f out the provisions of these resolutions and the moment he began his quest for PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE that the necessary expenses in connection Congress in 1994. We offer her our great therewith be paid out of the contingent fund condolence and sympathy and support, The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman of the House. from New York [Mr. MCNULTY] come Resolved, That the Clerk communicate and hope that their three children, forward and lead the House in the these resolutions to the Senate and transmit Lisa, Todd, and Laura, as well as their Pledge of Allegiance. a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. grandson, David, will be held in the Mr. MCNULTY led the Pledge of Alle- Resolved, That when the House adjourns hearts of all those who, in the next giance as follows: today, it adjourn as a further mark of re- week particularly, will be praying for spect to the memory of the deceased. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Unit- the Capps family. ed States of America, and to the Republic for The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he which it stands, one nation under God, indi- tleman from California [Mr. FAZIO] is may consume to the gentleman from visible, with liberty and justice for all. recognized for 1 hour. Missouri [Mr. GEPHARDT], our leader. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H9617 H9618 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE October 29, 1997 b 1015 We who hold elective office are often news last night from my friend HOWARD Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, this is viewed as cynical manipulators of pub- BERMAN of WALTER's sudden passing, I a particularly difficult day for all of us lic opinion or as slaves to it. We are de- was struck first with how horrible, how who loved WALTER CAPPS and his fam- picted as knowing more or caring more horrible it is to hear of someone who is ily. It was only last week that I was about politics than we do about sub- so young, who is just beginning what able to meet with WALTER and many of stance. You can say what you will obviously is a new chapter in his life. his constituents who had come to about most of us, but you cannot say He has only had the opportunity to Washington to be with him and to all of us, because for a short time we serve here for 10 months. Then I began learn from him. On this particular day, served in this House with WALTER to think about how WALTER CAPPS was WALTER was in his usual optimistic, CAPPS, and he is everything you want clearly the nicest Member of Congress positive, idealistic frame of mind about us to be. He was the best of us. He will I have ever met. Some Members of Con- his district, about America and about be missed. gress are not very nice, but there are a the public service that he was so well Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speak- lot of nice people. But I cannot think giving for the people of his district. er, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman of anyone who was nicer than WALTER. I have never met someone in public from California [Mr. GALLEGLY], an- I also found him, surprisingly to life who was so grounded in their be- other representative of the south coast many maybe on this side of the aisle, liefs, their morals, ethics, in his reli- of California. to be very reasonable. When I sat down gion, his belief in religion, his belief in Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank the gen- with him and began talking about the how America and how public service tleman for yielding me this time. Mr. need to reduce the top rate on capital could be better. He served his constitu- Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to gains, I was stunned when WALTER said ents as faithfully as anyone I have ever my friend, WALTER CAPPS. He will be to me, ``DAVID, I want to cosponsor known. He went back to California missed not only by those he rep- your bill.'' I thought, wow, here is a every weekend. He was on the plane resented but by those of us who had the guy who really is thinking deeply and was working for his constituents, opportunity to work with WALTER. about a lot of issues and is not having meeting with them in the district, hav- WALTER and I did not always see eye to a knee-jerk response to every single ing meetings, listening to them, trying eye on every issue, but he always re- thing which many people had cat- to understand their needs, trying to mained true to his beliefs and prin- egorized, some, as his having done.