ON INTRODUCTION OF A BILL DESIGNATING THE CIA AS THE `GEORGE H.W. BUSH CENTER FOR CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE' -- HON. ROB PORTMAN (Extension of Remarks - May 11, 1998)
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HON. ROB PORTMAN
in the House of Representatives
MONDAY, MAY 11, 1998
- Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as the proud sponsor of legislation introduced with Representatives Goss, Skelton, Hamilton and others, that would designate the CIA compound in Langley, Virginia as `The George H.W. Bush Center of Central Intelligence.' As a former staff member in the Bush White House, I had the true honor of learning firsthand the values and principles of public service that President Bush exemplified. He stood for the proposition that honor, integrity and responsibility are the important ideals for public service. Now, through this legislation, Congress can memorialize these values which, I believe, his name has come to represent.
- As you know, George Bush had a remarkable and distinguished career in public service not only as President, but also Vice President, U.N. Ambassador, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to the People's Republic of China and Member of Congress. But he has always been particularly proud of his tenure as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He guided the Agency through a difficult time and continues to be held in high regard by the CIA and its employees, past and present.
- He is also the only President to serve as CIA Director. By making the CIA compound the first public building in the Washington area to be named after President Bush, Congress can honor our 41st President with a lasting and appropriate tribute.
- Mr. Speaker, I want to especially thank Chairman of the Select Committee on Permanent Intelligence, Porter Goss, Ranking Democrat on the National Security Committee, Ike Skelton, the Ranking Democrat on International Relations Committee, Lee Hamilton, and all the others for their individual help in putting together this bipartisan effort to commemorate former President Bush in an appropriate manner. I also want to thank all of the other original cosponsor who have joined in this effort and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this legislation as a lasting tribute to George Bush's legacy of service to the CIA and to the nation.
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