The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S7690 on July 16, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. LUGAR (for himself and Mr. Bayh):
S. 1181. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2719 South Webster Street in Kokomo, Indiana, as the
``Elwood Haynes ``Bud'' Hillis Post Office Building''; to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a distinguished Hoosier and tireless public servant, former Congressman Bud Hillis.
My colleague, Mr. Bayh, and I are introducing legislation to honor Congressman Hillis by naming the Post Office in Kokomo, Indiana the Elwood Haynes ``Bud'' Hillis Post Office.
Congressman Hillis honorably served the people of Indiana's 5th District in the House of Representatives from 1971 to 1986. Congressman Hillis was a fair and reasonable voice on national security, trade, and veterans' issues. A graduate of Indiana's Culver Military Academy, he enlisted in the Army at the age of 18 and fought in the World War II European Theater as an infantryman for 27 months. After leaving active duty as a first lieutenant, Bud Hillis attended Indiana University and the Indiana University School of Law. He went on to practice law in Howard County, Indiana, and served as Chairman of the county bar association.
Before being elected to Congress in 1970, Congressman Hillis served two terms in the Indiana House of Representatives.
The 1970s and early 1980's were difficult times for many in Indiana's 5th District. A downturn in the auto industry during the recession brought unemployment in some of the district's more highly industrialized communities to over 15 percent. He founded the Congressional Auto Task Force and he helped to round up votes in 1979 to pass legislation that I had sponsored here in the Senate to guarantee loans to the struggling Chrysler Corporation, an employer of more than 60,000 Hoosiers at the time. In 1983, he worked to protect the auto industry from Japanese imports by extending a voluntary restraint agreement. He was a strong force on the Congressional Steel Caucus and served as Vice President of the executive committee.
As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Congressman Hillis was a dependable ally of the Reagan military build-up that helped to bring an end to the Cold War. He supported American service men by backing enlistment bonuses for military personnel and was a proponent of reinstating draft registration, which had ended with the Vietnam War. Further, he was instrumental in development and deployment of the M-1 tank and the preservation of Grissom Air Force Reserve Base in Peru, Indiana.
Congressman Hillis also took a personal interest with the veterans of our Nation. As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he was a leader in improving health care for veterans and was instrumental in the construction of the community-based outpatient clinic in Crown Point, IN.
Congressman Bud Hillis has a distinguished record of service to his country and to the people of Indiana. The dedication of the post office in Kokomo, Indiana, a city that continues to be involved deeply with the American auto industry that Congressman Hillis supported so strongly, would be a fitting tribute for such an honorable statesman.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1181
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF ELWOOD HAYNES ``BUD'' HILLIS POST
OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) In General.--The facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2719 South Webster Street in Kokomo, Indiana, shall be known and designated as the ``Elwood Haynes
`Bud' Hillis Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the Elwood Haynes ``Bud'' Hillis Post Office Building.
______
By Mr. HOLLINGS:
S. 1182. A bill to direct the Secretary of the Army to lease land at the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake Project, South Carolina, to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation that will provide economic stimulation to one of the poorest counties in South Carolina. This legislation will allow the South Carolina Department of Commerce, SCDOC, to proceed with a project that began almost a decade ago. Well, actually the project began long before that, way back when the Army Corps of Engineers built Lake Richard B. Russell in 1984.
Lake Russell is a 26,000-acre freshwater lake on the South Carolina-
Georgia border and was very controversial when originally proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Enhancement of economic development in the region was a main selling point of the Corps to overcome State, local and environmental objections to the lake. Yet, to date, virtually no development has occurred despite efforts from South Carolina's Department of Commerce. Today, there is not a single room for rent by the public within sight of, or within reasonable walking distance of, the lake. There is only one gas pump on the entire lake and that is at a State park.
Following the completion of Lake Russell in 1984, the Department of Commerce and Abbeville County began a plan for the development of a lakefront golf and vacation resort. The Department contracted with a development company in 1997 to develop the project, but in 1998, due to financial difficulties, construction was suspended and the developer defaulted on its Development Agreement with SCDOC. As a result of this default, the Commerce Department terminated the agreement and the property was returned to the State.
In January 1999, in an attempt to complete this project, SCDOC solicited proposals from various qualified developers. After consideration of several proposals, a developer was selected that had a history of successful developments throughout the State of South Carolina. However, in order for the project to be successful, changes to the current lease have to be made. These changes are reflected by the proposed legislation.
When drafting this legislation, I wanted to address several points that may cause concern. First, I wanted to make sure the public had an opportunity to be involved throughout the process. Second, I wanted to make sure any additional land that was included in the project would be mitigated by providing lands with similar ecological values and habitat. And third, I wanted to ensure that this project would be economically viable. I believe the legislation does this.
Like I said, the legislation is simple and will bring economic development to a county that has longed for it. By completing this project, Abbeville County will be able to take advantage of the economic stimulation created by vacationers and tourism from the surrounding major cities, which include Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, Greenville, and Augusta. This economic development was promised when the lake was built in 1984 and I believe we should honor our commitment.
____________________
