3750 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE March 28, 2000 ‘‘Ross Adair spent most of his adult plained what the amendment was and and where freedom was. I and many life in service to his country and its what it would do, I was proud he was others heard the stories of peoples’ citizens. He was a lawyer, soldier, Rep- our Congressman. heads being chopped off and watching resentative, ambassador. It seems fit- ‘‘The election in 1958 was an indica- their kids die. Ross Adair represented ting that a Federal building be named tion of his popularity in Steuben Coun- the values, as do so many of our am- to honor his service and his loyalty.’’ ty. Statewide, the 1958 election was a bassadors, of America abroad, not only That was from Susan Prickett, the disaster for Republicans in Indiana. here in this Chamber. wife of his longtime chief of staff. She Ross was roughly 1,100 votes behind It is a tremendous honor and distinc- edited the Albion paper after her hus- until little Steuben County’s 1,400 plu- tion for me today to be the United band died, and she passed away just a rality sent him back to Washington, States Congressman from the Fourth few months ago. I was hoping she where he remained for 12 more years. District to sponsor this bill to have our would be able to see us name this ‘‘E. Ross Adair’s morals and integrity Federal building and courthouse named building. I am glad we got to put her were of the highest. I have often won- after E. Ross Adair. tribute in the RECORD. dered what our country would be like if Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I Orvas Beers, his longtime law part- all 535 Members of Congress and yes, yield back the balance of my time. ner, cousin, and close friend, wrote ‘‘I the President, too, had the same level The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. am writing in support of this legisla- of morals, integrity, and dedication as PETRI). The question is on the motion tion to designate the Federal building E. Ross Adair.’’ offered by the gentleman from Ohio after E. Ross Adair. I think this is a Walter Helmke, a longtime State (Mr. LATOURETTE) that the House sus- great idea. Senator, father of the immediate past pend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. ‘‘National recognition of our former mayor of Fort Wayne and son of the 2412. congressman and United States Ambas- former district chairman and congres- The question was taken. sador to Ethiopia is long overdue. He sional candidate, wrote, ‘‘Congressman Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, on dedicated well over 20 years of his life Adair served the Fourth Congressional that I demand the yeas and nays. to public service in both Congress and District with high distinction . hav- The yeas and nays were ordered. as ambassador. His accomplishments ing been elected 10 times to the office The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- . were outstanding. His integrity of Fourth District Representative. I ant to clause 8 of rule XX and the and statesmanship are unmatched. knew him well during the entire 20- Chair’s prior announcement, further Ross was among the finest Congress- year period that he served. He was al- proceedings on this motion will be men ever to represent Northeast Indi- ways responsive to his constituents, postponed. ana. As a former law partner of Ross, and, I believe, represented the senti- f and former chairman of the Republican ments and beliefs of his constituents to AARON E. HENRY FEDERAL party of Allen County, I am proud to an extraordinary degree. BUILDING AND UNITED STATES have known him and worked for his ‘‘During 8 of the 20 years that Ross POST OFFICE elections. served as Congressman, I served as Ross Adair’s word was as good as his Prosecuting Attorney of Allen County, Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I name. He meant what he said, and said and had occasion to call on him for as- move to suspend the rules and pass the what he meant. A handshake and his sistance and information a number of bill (H.R. 1279) to designate the Federal word closed many solid agreements. He times. He always provided me with as- building and the United States post of- served our country during a time when sistance and support without hesi- fice located at 223 Sharkey Street in political machines were a big part of tation. Clarksdale, Mississippi, as the ‘‘Aaron how this Nation functioned. Yet, Ross’s ‘‘After his distinguished career in the E. Henry Federal Building and United honesty and integrity were never ques- United States Congress, he ably served States Post Office,’’ as amended. tioned. He was a fine man. Republicans the United States government as the The Clerk read as follows: and Democrats alike were well rep- U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia until the H.R. 1279 resented by Ross Adair.’’ emperor of Ethiopia was deposed.’’ Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- Ken Meyers writes that E. Ross Adair The last letter I would like to read is resentatives of the United States of America in will finally get the recognition he de- from Marta Gabre-Tsadick. She is the Congress assembled, served. He tells a story. He was a Re- only female senator to have ever served SECTION 1. DESIGNATION. publican County Chairman of Steuben when Haile Selassie was head of Ethi- The Federal building and United States court- County, a county to the north of Fort opia. She writes, ‘‘We at Project house located at 236 Sharkey Street in Clarks- Wayne, in 1950. Mercy,’’ a project that continues today dale, Mississippi, shall be known and des- He said, at the time Ross was nomi- based and working out of Fort Wayne ignated as the ‘‘Aaron E. Henry Federal Build- ing and United States Courthouse’’. nated he was not familiar ‘‘outside to help those impoverished people who SEC. 2. REFERENCES. Allen and Noble Counties—but not for need health care and other things in Any reference in a law, map, regulation, doc- long. His sincere friendly campaigning Ethiopia, ‘‘wholeheartedly support this ument, paper, or other record of the United won him the nomination and election initiative to commemorate a man who States to the Federal building and United States in November. not only gave 20 years of his life to courthouse referred to in section 1 shall be ‘‘E. Ross Adair represented all the serving his country as Congressman, deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘Aaron E. Henry people in the district; Republican, but reached international boundaries Federal Building and United States Court- Democrat, or Independent received the as a great Ambassador to Ethiopia. His house’’. same attention and consideration. On service there impacted all African The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- important legislative matters he was countries through his interaction with ant to the rule, the gentleman from in constant contact with his constitu- the Organization of African Unity, Ohio (Mr. LATOURETTE) and the gentle- ents. He read and studied the legisla- headquartered at Addis Ababa, Ethi- woman from Nevada (Ms. BERKLEY) tion before the House. opia. We are grateful for his service. each will control 20 minutes. ‘‘One personal incident proved to me ‘‘In retrospect, I can think of no one The Chair recognizes the gentleman that he did his ‘homework.’ A popular who has contributed more to this area, from Ohio (Mr. LATOURETTE). piece of legislation was before the or anyone who could possibly deserve Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I House that would be beneficial to his this honor more than our mutual yield myself such time as I may con- district. Ross voted against it. As friend and mentor, E. Ross Adair.’’ sume. county chairman, I questioned his When Haile Selassie fell, roughly Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 1279, as vote. His reply was, ‘Ken, a last-minute one-third of the senate in Ethiopia amended, designates the Federal Build- amendment was attached to it that came to Fort Wayne, Indiana, because ing and United States Courthouse lo- made it unacceptable.’ When he ex- Ross Adair meant to them America, cated in Clarksdale, Mississippi, as the VerDate Aug 04 2004 13:23 Aug 12, 2004 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\H28MR0.000 H28MR0 March 28, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE 3751 Aaron E. Henry Federal Building and It is most fitting and proper that we sissippi, and to try to make sure that United States Courthouse. support the gentleman from Mississippi all voices there were heard. Dr. Henry was born in Clarksdale, (Mr. THOMPSON) and honor the great During those joyful days that I spent Mississippi, in 1921, and attended local contributions of Dr. Henry. I urge pas- with him at his home with his beloved schools. He served in the United States sage of this bill. family and at his drugstore on Fourth Army, after which he returned to Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of Street, I had the chance to come to school and earned a degree in phar- my time. know him firsthand. macy from the Xavier University in Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I Aaron Henry had a dream, a dream of 1950. yield myself such time as I may con- an integrated America, a dream where In 1953, Dr. Henry organized the local sume. everybody counted. He lived to achieve branch of the NAACP, and served as Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate that dream. He lived a life of good the State NAACP president from 1960 our colleague, the gentleman from Mis- works.