10052 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 23, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS IN RECOGNITION OF REPRE­ The most liberal congressman from one of During the bitterest hours of the Contra SENTATIVE WILLIAM LEHMAN the most conservative states has emerged aid debate in the mid 1980s, Lehman was this year as arguably the most important lambasted daily over Cuban-American radio member of Florida's Washington delegation. because of his steadfast opposition to mili­ HON. DANTE 8. FASCELL When sticky issues come to a vote, he may tary assistance. OF FLORIDA be out there all alone, taking a principled "I wanted to vote responsibly, not sym­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES stand that makes him unpopular. bolically," Lehman now says. "And I just But from his perch on the House Appro­ figured the war was over." Tuesday, May 23, 1989 priations Committee, Lehman is Florida's Two bomb threats came into Lehman's Mr. FASCELL. Mr. Speaker, an unfortunate best hope for loosening up congressional office. A torrent of angry callers tied up the consequence of the hectic pace of our sched­ purse strings to pay for local projects. switchboard. And more angry callers who ules is that we do not always take time to rec­ Lehman is the "un-politician." He tells could not get through accused Lehman of folks flat out what they don't want to hear taking his phone off the hook. ognize the fine men and women we are privi­ and then finds a way to solve their problems Lehman never budged. While every other leged to serve with. When one of our col­ anyway. Florida congressman at some point voted leagues announces his or her retirement we "I'm a facilitator," Lehman says of his for military aid, Lehman kept his early always find the time to tell a good story or two role in Congress. "In my position, I do have pledge never to vote to send another bullet about our good friend, but I feel we should some political leverage to get things done." to Central America. take the time to recognize our peers a little Some people might call this way of get­ "Up to a certain point in your life," he more often. In this vein, I am honored to serve ting things done a series of tradeoffs. says, "if you have to compromise to keep with BILL LEHMAN, and I am even prouder to "A tradeoff," Lehman says, "is the oil that your job, it isn't worth it." makes the wheels tum." call BILL my good friend. The contributions he CONCERN ABROAD has made and his commitment to improving BACK-ROOM WORK Typical of Lehman, he still found a way to his community and his country _are a small re­ They all came courting, the transporta­ soothe his critics while doing something he flection of BILL'S virtue. tion specialists and local pleaders from believed in. around the nation. Lehman jumped at a chance this past Oc­ BILL came to the House after many years Nearly a hundred of them came before tober to help release three Cuban prisoners running a successful business, and has repre­ Lehman's Subcommittee on Transportation who had been jailed more than 20 years for sented Florida's 17th Congressional District last month. They each had 5 minutes to their political beliefs. since 1972. I know that these are good make one last pitch for federal dollars to He formed an alliance with the Cuban­ people because when I first came to the build this bridge or complete that highway, American National Foundation, which had House of Representatives, I had the privilege create a railway or pave a runway. been sharply critical of his contrariness on of representing much of what is now his dis­ Amid the tug of war for federal dollars, Contra aid, and spent three days in Cuba trict. Having served with BILL for all these Lehman finds ways to earmark money for negotiating the release. Lehman chartered a South Florida, even when some people back plane at his own expense and escorted the years, I can honestly say that my former con­ home call his ideas crazy or wasteful. three prisoners to freedom in Miami. stituents are very fortunate to have a man of South Florida has begun to move by rail The Cuban episode was only the latest ex­ BILL'S integrity, character, and perseverance this decade, largely because of Lehman's ample of Lehman's public service abroad. fighting their fights in Washington. Through his dealings in Washington. Overcoming all After losing his own daughter to cancer, courageous stands on many of the tough doubts and criticism, he has found money Lehman rescued two teen-age girls, one in issues of our day, BILL has demonstrated that over the past few years for the Tri-County Argentina, one in the Soviet Union. he is willing to vote his conviction. Commuter Rail, Metrorail and Miami Hearing that Debora Benchoam had been For many years now, Jeanne-Marie and I Downtown Metromover. imprisoned for espousing democracy, He gets these goodies by balancing out re­ Lehman ignored resistance from the State have had the pleasure and the good fortune quests in the collegial atmosphere of con­ Department and traveled to Argentina in of knowing that Bill and Joan Lehman are gressional back rooms. 1981 to negotiate her release. He convinced wonderful people. I would like to take a It comes down to something like this: "I Argentine officials that he sought no public­ moment and share with our colleagues an arti­ know that Bill Natcher CD-Ky.] wants to ity and merely wanted to take personal cus­ cle from the May 17 edition of the Fort Lau­ help us in Dade County," Lehman remarks, tody of the girl, who spoke no English and derdale Sun-Sentinel which should remind us "but I also know he wants a bridge over the had never met this bewildering congressman of how fortunate we are to have a man like Ohio River." The result will be more transit from the United States. BILL LEHMAN in the House of Representatives. money for South Florida and a new bridge Lehman gave Benchoam freedom and a to Kentucky. new home and later attended her wedding. [From the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Some would call it a political deal. Then in 1984, Lehman heard about a May 17, 19891 Lehman calls it "mutuality of needs." Soviet teen-ager who was about to die for THE UN-POLITICIAN-HIS PRINCIPLED AP­ STRONG CONVICTIONS lack of a heart valve. He packed an artificial PROACH ISN'T ALWAYS POPULAR, BUT IT'S Quick to negotiate over transportation valve in his suitcase on a trip to the Soviet ALL REP. BILL LEHMAN IS WILLING TO GIVE projects, Lehman, the Great Facilitator, re­ Union and smuggled it to the young girl in <By William E. Gibson> fuses to compromise on matters of strong time to save her life. Need a friend in Washington? Somebody conviction. INNER NEEDS to deliver those hard-to-find federal dollars Sinking into a sofa in his pleasant Capitol Lehman cannot quite explain or reconcile for a favorite project in Florida? Hill apartment on a bright spring day, his knack for standing against the popular The man to see is a former used-car sales­ Lehman shrugs off the politically risky epi­ will at some times while all the while serv­ man, former teacher of classic literature, sodes that have marked his public career. ing public needs. former school board chairman who made "When it comes to right-to-life, gun con­ After ransacking his brain for an explana­ desegregation work. trol, Contra aid, the MX missile-on these tion, he shrugs and says, "It's my job." He is one politician you would-and sensitive subjects I just have to vote my con­ His wife, Joan, a sculptor, attributes all of maybe once did-trust enough to sell you a victions," he says. "I just can't do it another Lehman's seeming contradictions to his used car. way. I guess I wish I could." "inner needs," originally formed in impover­ He is U.S. Rep. Bill Lehman, D-Biscayne No amount of pressure has altered his ished Alabama where he was born the son Park. "D" for Democrat. "D" for Defying support for legal abortion and gun control, of a candy manufacturer 75 years ago. conventional wisdom, public pressure and nor has it blunted his opposition to the MX "Growing up in a little town and, in a way, most stereotypes of a good ol' boy from Ala­ missile and weaponry for the Nicaraguan having more than other people during a bad bama. rebels. time for our country, he felt a little bit un- e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. May 23, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 10053 comfortable because he wanted to be like Airport baggage-handlers and chance THE REFUGEES IN CYPRUS: IT'S the other kids," Joan says. passers-by will come up to Lehman to Lehman's father and mother were models TIME FOR SOME OF THEM TO remind him about the time he once did GO HOME of civic-minded integrity, qualities he took them a favor. with him to Miami during the Great De­ "He can make people angry too; I've seen pression. him do that,'' Joan says.