First Lady JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS Memorial Tributes in the One Hundred Third Congress of the United States [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD32.001 First Lady JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS 1929-1994 Memorial Tributes in the One Hundred Third Congress of the United States Printed by authority of S. Res. 235, 103d Congress Senate Document 103-32 __________ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1995 Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing C O N T E N T S Biography............................................. vii Proceedings in the Senate: Resolution of Respect.............................. 1 Prayer............................................. 2 Remarks by: Senator George Mitchell, Senate Majority Leader 3 Senator Bob Dole, Senate Republican Leader..... 4 Tributes by Senators: Biden, Joseph R., Jr., of Delaware............. 5 Bradley, Bill, of New Jersey................... 6 DeConcini, Dennis, of Arizona.................. 7 Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut........... 8 Feingold, Russell, of Wisconsin................ 9 Glenn, John, of Ohio........................... 10 Hatfield, Mark O., of Oregon................... 11 Heflin, Howell, of Alabama..................... 12 Hollings, Ernest F., of South Carolina......... 14 Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................ 15 Kerry, John F., of Massachusetts............... 15 Lautenberg, Frank R., of New Jersey............ 17 Levin, Carl, of Michigan....................... 18 Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut........... 19 Mathews, Harlan, of Tennessee.................. 19 Moynihan, Daniel P., of New York............... 20 Pell, Claiborne, of Rhode Island............... 22 Pressler, Larry, of South Dakota............... 23 Riegle, Donald W., Jr., of Michigan............ 24 Roth, William V., of Delaware.................. 26 Sasser, Jim, of Tennessee...................... 27 Simon, Paul, of Illinois....................... 28 Smith, Robert C., of New Hampshire............. 28 Wellstone, Paul David, of Minnesota............ 28 Tributes by Representatives: Andrews, Robert E., of New Jersey.............. 30 Bilbray, James H., of Nevada................... 30 Blackwell, Lucien E., of Pennsylvania.......... 31 Bliley, Thomas J., Jr., of Virginia............ 32 Borski, Robert A., of Pennsylvania............. 33 Brown, Corrine, of Florida..................... 34 Costello, Jerry F., of Illinois................ 34 de Lugo, Ron, Delegate of the Virgin Islands... 35 DeLauro, Rosa L., of Connecticut............... 35 Engel, Eliot L., of New York................... 36 Eshoo, Anna G., of California.................. 37 Foley, Thomas S., of Washington................ 39 Gilman, Benjamin A., of New York............... 39 Goodling, William F., of Pennsylvania.......... 41 Hilliard, Earl F., of Alabama.................. 42 Kaptur, Marcy, of Ohio......................... 42 Kennelly, Barbara B., of Connecticut........... 43 Levin, Sander M., of Michigan.................. 44 Lewis, John, of Georgia........................ 44 Lowey, Nita M., of New York.................... 44 Maloney, Carolyn B., of New York............... 45 Mazzoli, Romano L., of Kentucky................ 47 Rangel, Charles B., of New York................ 48 Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island.................... 48 Romero-Barcelo, Carlos, of Puerto Rico......... 49 Rush, Bobby L., of Illinois.................... 50 Slattery, Jim, of Kansas....................... 50 Stupak, Bart, of Michigan...................... 51 Zeliff, William H., Jr., of New Hampshire...... 53 Statements by: President William J. Clinton....................... 55 First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.................. 57 Memorial Services: St. Ignatius Loyola Church Special Tribute by Senator Edward M. Kennedy... 58 Poem by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg........... 61 Reading by John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr......... 61 Poem by Maurice Tempelsman..................... 62 Arlington National Cemetery Eulogy by President William J. Clinton......... 64 Commentary and Tributes: Above Everything, A Special Mother, Newsday Magazine......................................... 85 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 1929-1994, Beloved First Lady is Dead at Age 64, Boston Herald...... 86 Her Lasting Gift Was Majesty, Boston Globe......... 88 America's Queen, Boston Globe...................... 90 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 1929-1994, America's Only Monarch, Boston Herald...................... 91 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 1929-1994, Classy First Lady Won Over Even This Diehard Republican, Boston Herald.................................... 92 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, 1929-1994, It Leaves an Empty Place, Boston Globe.............. 93 Behind Onassis' Charm Lay Irony, San Francisco Examiner......................................... 95 O, Jackie, You Were Wonderful!, Boston Herald...... 97 Jackie Was a Model of Dignity to the End . . ., Boston Globe..................................... 102 . . . And There Are Five Ways We Can Honor Her, Boston Globe..................................... 103 A Private Life Defined by Wit, Compassion, Newsday Magazine................................. 104 The Eternal Jackie, Washington Post................ 106 Jackie, New Yorker; Friends Recall a Fighter for Her City, New York Times......................... 108 She Graced Our History, Nation Remembers Jackie, Who Held Us Together, USA Today.................. 109 Farewell to a First Lady, A Role Model, A Mystery, A Legend, USA Today.............................. 111 Great Gifts and Great Burdens, Washington Post..... 114 A Day of Farewells to a First Lady, In a Somber Spotlight, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is Buried, Washington Post.................................. 115 Death of a First Lady, The Overview; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is Buried, New York Times........ 117 Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, 1929-1994, Onassis to be Buried Monday; Resting Place Next to JFK at Arlington Set, Boston Globe............ 120 Jackie's Washington: How She Rescued the City's History, Washington Post......................... 121 Portrait of a Friendship, Time Magazine............ 124 Once, in Camelot, Time Magazine.................... 125 America's First Lady, Time Magazine................ 126 The Essence of Style, Town & Country Magazine...... 129 B I O G R A P H Y Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born July 28, 1929, to Janet and John Bouvier III in Southampton, Long Island, New York. She enjoyed the country life with her parents and her younger sister Lee. In what became life-long interests, she developed an expertise at horseback riding, an enduring love of books, and a great delight in writing poetry. Throughout her life, she chronicled special family events by combining her creative talents in a unique, and often whimsical way, to produce illustrated journals, scrapbooks, and paintings. After her parents divorced and her mother remarried Hugh D. Auchincloss, the family expanded to include his children and a new baby half-sister and -brother, Janet and Jamie Auchincloss. Jacqueline attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut where she excelled academically. She was accepted at Vassar and attended for 1 year. She then studied in Paris, becoming fluent in French, before transferring to George Washington University in Washington, DC where she earned a degree in French literature in 1951. Following her graduation, Jacqueline took a job as the ``Inquiring Camera Girl'' for the Washington Times-Herald, and met then-Congressman, soon-to-be-Senator, John F. Kennedy, at a dinner party. ``I leaned across the asparagus and asked her for a date'' he quipped. They were married on September 12, 1953. Their early years together were marked by the great sadness of a stillborn daughter, and life threatening back surgery for Senator Kennedy. But in 1957, their adored daughter Caroline was born. ``I used to sit and wonder how it could be possible to be any happier,'' Jackie said. In November of 1960, after the successful campaign for the Presidency, their happiness doubled with the birth of John F. Kennedy, Jr. Jacqueline Kennedy became, at 31, the century's youngest First Lady and from the moment of her magnificent debut at the Inauguration, captivated the Nation and the world. She began a complete restoration of the White House and encouraged Americans to take special pride in their Nation's heritage and the effort to preserve it. Her televised tour of the restored mansion was watched by 50 million viewers, and the resulting increase in tourists who bought her newly created ``White House Guide Book'' has continued to fund White House preservation and acquisitions to this day. She established the first office of White House Curator, and is credited with saving the historic townhouses and heritage of Lafayette Square. She promoted an awareness and appreciation of culture and the arts by showcasing the finest in those professions at special White House events. Intellect was honored with a dazzling dinner for all the Nobel Prize winners. The state occasions she hosted with President Kennedy continue to be remembered for their sparkling originality, exquisite taste, and classic elegance. She intuitively understood that the White House belonged to all the people, and she wanted it to be an expression of pride in American achievement. She said simply, ``I just think that everything in the White House should reflect the best of America.'' President Kennedy summed up her impact abroad when he introduced himself as ``the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.'' Her natural style, gracious personality, and ability to speak numerous languages, created an outpouring of affection. At home, during a time of civil rights tension, she quietly made her position clear by integrating Caroline's White House preschool group. In August of 1963, she and the President shared the great sorrow of the tragic loss of their prematurely born son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, who died a few days after his birth. But the Nation, and the world, truly came to understand and appreciate her valiant strength in November of 1963. During the agonizing 4 days of her husband's assassination and funeral, her majestic example of remarkable courage and fortitude has never been forgotten. At a time of unbearable grief, she held the country together. In 1964, she reestablished her life in New York City and devoted herself to her children. She campaigned for Robert F. Kennedy during his bid for the Presidency and his tragic loss brought additional grief to her family. In October of 1968, she married Aristotle Onassis, and she and the children divided their time between Greece and New York. She became a widow again, when he died in 1975. Concentrating on her love of books, she went to work and became a respected professional in the field of publishing, as an editor at Doubleday. She continued her efforts on behalf of historic preservation and was especially proud to have helped to prevent the destruction of New York's Grand Central Station. In 1980 she helped Senator Edward Kennedy in his campaign for President, and the John F. Kennedy Library continued to benefit from her ongoing devotion and involvement in its programs and such events as the Profile In Courage Award. Jacqueline found tranquillity and joy in the companionship of her close friend, Maurice Templesman. But of all her accomplishments, she was most proud of having been a good mother to Caroline and John, often in the most difficult of circumstances. ``It's the best thing I've ever done,'' she said. She exulted in their successes and became a doting grandmother to her three grandchildren. In her final year, she set an example yet again of uncommon courage and spirited grace, as she battled illness. In her final days she was, as she had become to the Nation throughout her life, an inspiration. Memorial Tributes to First Lady JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD32.002 RESOLUTION OF RESPECT Wednesday, June 29, 1994. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 235, a resolution to authorize the printing of statements made in tribute to the late First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis submitted earlier today by the distinguished Senator from Maine [Mr. Mitchell] and the Republican Leader [Mr. Dole], and others, and that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. So the resolution (S. Res. 235) was agreed to, as follows: S. Res. 235 Resolved, That there shall be printed as a Senate document a collection of statements made in tribute to the late First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, together with appropriate illustrations and other materials relating to her death. PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE Monday, May 23, 1994. PRAYER The Chaplain, The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, D.D., offered the following prayer: Let us pray. Let us observe a moment of silence in memory of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, her family, her friends, and the whole world which mourns her loss. For there is no power but of God: The powers that be are ordained of God.--Proverbs 16:3. Eternal God, we thank Thee for the sovereign order of God-- that those who hold public office do so, not simply because they sought it and won--but because God had ordained them for His purpose and plan. And we thank Thee that Thou hast promised to establish their thoughts as they commit their works unto Thee. Omniscient Lord, Thou knowest each Senator and each staff member in microscopic detail, the circumstances from which each comes; the future unto which each goes, and the present condition of each. And You have a purpose and plan for each. Forgive us, gentle, gracious God, for our indifference, our rejection of Your love, Your care, Your guidance. Awaken us to our need of Thee, our poverty of spirit without Thee, our blindness when we do not walk in Thy light. We pray in His name who is the Light of the World. Amen. The Honorable George J. Mitchell Senate Majority Leader Mr. President, last month, our Nation mourned the passing of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, whose style, grace, dignity, and elegance made her a much admired American. Her influence is difficult to overstate. As First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy used her position to raise the stature of the arts in America. She encouraged donations of important pieces of art and furniture and raised private funds to restore and redecorate the White House. Mrs. Onassis also worked to preserve the beauty of Lafayette Square and its surrounding historic residences. She invited prominent artists to perform at the White House, as part of her effort to transform Washington into a cultural center. Her influence was not confined to the United States. Few will forget her trip to Paris with President Kennedy. Said the President at the time ``I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris--and I have enjoyed it.'' The French were charmed by Mrs. Kennedy. Her wit and charisma captivated France and the world. Although she became a virtual living legend, Jacqueline Onassis most treasured her private family life. She took great pains to shield her young children from the insatiable curiosity of the public. She understood that the most precious gift she could give to Caroline and John, Jr., was the gift of time, and she gave it as generously as she could. Mrs. Onassis never asked to be a legend. But once she was thrust into the national and international spotlight, it was something she could not avoid. She conducted herself with grace and dignity that others could only emulate. Her contributions to the cultural heritage of this Nation are numerous, and we, as Americans, owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude. Mr. President, at this time, I ask unanimous consent that the remarks of Senator Kennedy which were made at the funeral service for Mrs. Onassis be printed in the Record. [Reference appears on page 71.] The Honorable Bob Dole Senate Republican Leader Mr. President, few Americans ever received more public and media attention in their adult life than Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. And few Americans ever handled that attention with as much dignity and grace as Mrs. Onassis. I join with all Members of the Senate in mourning the untimely passing of Mrs. Onassis, and in extending our sympathies to her family, and to her brother-in-law, our colleague, Senator Edward Kennedy. Like all Americans, I will always remember the remarkable courage Mrs. Onassis exhibited in the very emotional days following the tragic death of President Kennedy. Instead of Mrs. Onassis leaning on others for support during her time of grief, she provided support for an entire nation. Mrs. Onassis will also be remembered for the style she brought to the White House during her years as First Lady. Her vision of the White House was that it should be a showplace for American culture. All the First Ladies who have followed Mrs. Onassis have acknowledged the difference she made. Again, Mr. President, I join in mourning the passing of a woman who graced history, and, who touched the hearts of millions of men and women around the world. TRIBUTES BY SENATORS The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of Delaware Mr. President, as the Nation mourned, and continues to mourn, the death of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, many of us have tried, in private and public reflections, to define and explain her enduring place in our common history and our shared consciousness. It is a difficult, if not an impossible task, as it always is when we try to put into words the meaning of a life that has touched our very spirit and left us forever changed. It never was the ambition of the woman we knew, and will always remember, as ``Jackie'' to have the kind of fundamental public influence. It was a part of her style that she did not cherish celebrity, a part of her grace that she did not succumb to its temptations, and a part of her dignity that she did not surrender to fame, but sought--in the end, it seemed, successfully--to make peace with it on her own terms. Certainly, Mrs. Onassis did seek throughout her adult life to make public contributions, and did so successfully and very meaningfully. The legacy of her passion for the arts, for history, and for the beauty of the landmarks and places of refuge she cherished so deeply is very tangible and valuable, and cause enough for our lasting respect and gratitude. Yet there is more we remember. We remember that at the age of just 31, then-Jacqueline Kennedy seemed the living expression of the inspiration so many of us felt on that cold January day in 1961. When ``the torch was passed to a new generation of Americans,'' it quickly seemed to us that Jackie was among the most worthy to receive it, that she represented part of what was best in us, part of what we aspired to be. We were simply fascinated by her. Initially, it may have been the glamour, the elegance in appearance, and manner that President and Mrs. Kennedy introduced over the still-young medium of television, which fascinated us in itself. But there was something deeper in the images. The couple in the White House looked like a promise, like the embodiment of hope as well as of style. As time passed in all its fateful twists, our admiration for Jackie grew deeper. We came to know and respect her devotion to her children, her complete and uncompromising commitment to them, and her growing pride in their achievements and their characters. We learned about the seriousness and sincerity of all her passions, and about her determination to remain true to them--despite criticism, despite challenges, despite losses that would have cracked a less noble heart. It was in times of loss, and especially during those wrenching days of November 1963, that Jackie touched this Nation's spirit most profoundly. She was 34 years old, with two very young children, when President Kennedy was killed. She must have felt that the eyes and the weight of the world on her added to her personal and family grief, her justified anxiety about her children's future, and what must have been a rage almost as great as her sadness. What she did was remarkable. She carried this Nation to the Capitol Rotunda, along the route of the funeral procession and for days and weeks afterward, with a strength that was both incomprehensible and undeniable. Again, now in the darkest as before in the brightest hour, she seemed the embodiment of hope--hope that the unendurable could be endured, that the future still mattered and demanded our attention, that dreams were still possible. That may have been the greatest gift that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis gave to this country, an enduring sense of hope. She gave it to us not through conscious effort, but as a natural result of her transcendent grace and dignity. And it is right that we should honor her for it, now and always. The Honorable Bill Bradley of New Jersey Mr. President, Jacqueline Kennedy was 34 when she became a widow--34 years old when she stood next to Lyndon Baines Johnson and witnessed him taking the oath of office upon the assassination of her husband in November 1963. She behaved at that moment in history with the dignity that she brought to the White House as its First Lady, with the strength she evidenced in the ensuing months while a nation mourned, and with the poise she possessed throughout the course of her life. Jackie Kennedy Onassis was not a woman for that time, but a woman for all time--she endured, and moved beyond that period of crisis in our Nation's history, to become more than the grieving widow of John F. Kennedy. She was her own strong woman, and that is how the Nation will remember her. She will be remembered as a woman who fought for causes that were important to her and won: The preservation of Lafayette Square in Washington and the fight to save Grand Central Terminal in New York are but a few examples. She will be remembered for having built a successful career for herself in publishing: Bill Moyers, a colleague of hers for whom she edited three books and a resident of my State, said that she was ``as witty, warm, and creative in private as she was grand and graceful in public.'' Perhaps most of all, she will be remembered for the two beautiful children she left behind, whose success and happiness must be attributed in part to their mother's effort to shield them from the public's never-ending fascination with the Kennedy family. Jackie Kennedy Onassis was an intensely private person in a world which viewed her as a living legend. In pursuit of that elusive privacy she became a sometime-resident of New Jersey, escaping from New York on weekends to her summer home in Bernardsville. There she indulged in her favorite pastime of horseback riding, and lived among people who respected the privacy that she came for. The residents of her adopted Bernardsville miss her, and mourn her passing as the Nation does. They mourn her passing as we in the U.S. Senate do. I could not be more eloquent than her brother-in-law, Senator Edward Kennedy, was in the eulogy he delivered at her funeral: ``Jackie was too young to be a widow in 1963, and too young to die now . . . she graced our history, and for those of us who knew her and loved her, she graced our lives.'' The Honorable Dennis DeConcini of Arizona The same words have been used over and over to describe Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: dignity, beauty, courage. The style and grace she brought to the White House helped us to take pride in ourselves as a nation. She was our shining example of what we at our best could become. As Senator John Glenn has pointed out, those who have described the Kennedy years as Camelot know that a very large part of the reason was the class and elegance Jacqueline Kennedy brought to the Nation's Capital. Single-handedly, it seemed, she transformed Washington, DC, into a cultural center. She brought the greatest artists to the White House. One Presidential dinner in particular, honoring the Nobel Prize winners of the Western Hemisphere, prompted John Kennedy's famous remark: ``I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.'' Jacqueline Kennedy restored and redecorated the White House; preserved Lafayette Square; saved Pennsylvania Avenue; and kept Grand Central Station an historic landmark, when its owners were threatening to construct a skyscraper office building over the roof of its starry concourse. When this Nation was plunged into grief during those dark November days in 1963, it was Jacqueline Kennedy who taught us how to face our loss. She was a profile in courage for an entire nation--and she was only 34 years old. She was also an example of strength in the courageous way she rebuilt her life. She began a new career in the publishing business and excelled in her profession. One day one of her employees phoned in to tell her that he would not be at work that day because he would be accompanying his son on a school event. He was almost apologetic in his tone, but Jackie commended him on his decision to put his family first. This was a priority by which Jackie lived her own life, raising two well-adjusted and outstanding children amid the most difficult of circumstances. It was, she said, her greatest achievement. At her funeral service, Senator Ted Kennedy called Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis a ``blessing to the Nation--and a lesson to the world on how to do things right, how to be a mother, how to appreciate history, how to be courageous.'' She indeed ``graced our history,'' as Senator Kennedy stated, and she will be deeply missed. The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a woman whose extraordinary journey through life recently came to an end. Like everyone, I was saddened by her passing, and my sincerest condolences go out to her family and friends. In remembering Mrs. Onassis, many have focused on her grace and on her beauty. And to be sure, she was graceful, and she was beautiful. But to stop there in describing this woman is to sell her short. For the fact is that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was more than anything else a woman of character. This was most starkly illuminated after the terrible tragedy of Dallas, when she stood alongside Lyndon Baines Johnson as he was sworn in as President. She put aside the shock and grief long enough to fulfill her final, and perhaps most important duty as First Lady: Providing the Nation with an indispensable symbol of the peaceful transfer of power. But we honor the memory of Mrs. Onassis not because she was a former President's wife, but because she was a unique individual and an authentic American. She loved this country; she was proud of its culture; and she dedicated much of her life to spreading that pride among her fellow citizens. She lent her talents to the cause of historical preservation; Lafayette Square in Washington, and New York's Grand Central Terminal, stand today as monuments to her work, enduring gifts from her to the people of this Nation. After a person has left us, the best test of her life is to ask the question, did she make a difference. Was the world a better place than it would have been had she not been born? In the case of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the answer to these questions is unquestionably ``yes.'' In the lives of her children and grandchildren, in the lives of the millions of Americans she touched, in the life of this Nation, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis did make a tremendous difference, and it was a difference for the better. She will be sorely missed, and she will be fondly remembered. The Honorable Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin Mr. President, with the death of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the final curtain has been drawn on one of the most inspiring and exciting eras in our Nation's history. She represented and meant so much to us. Dedicated and glamorous First Lady, accomplished editor, loving mother, and role model to millions are just some of the labels that have been affixed to this truly unique woman over the decades. But she really was more than just the sum of all her roles. We grieved for Mrs. Onassis not just because she was taken too young, leaving behind two wonderful and accomplished adult children, and because she was such an important part of the history of the last five decades. We grieved for Mrs. Onassis because she reminded us of a time when we were more sure of ourselves and of our place in the world. When she burst onto the American scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s it seemed as though people had more faith, not just in themselves but also in their Federal Government. Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Whitewater were a long way off and there was a sense during the Kennedy era that we could accomplish almost anything if we set our minds to it. That sense carried on into the triumphs of the Great Society and ultimately to our victory in the cold war, but along the way we seemed to lose some of that sense of optimism. The various crises we have faced since the death of President Kennedy have left the American people more cynical and distrustful than they were in the early 1960s. This change is understandable, given all that has transpired in the past 30 years. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reminds us of how we were before this change and because of the power of nostalgia, her death makes that time seem further away than ever before. We have all lost an important part of our past. She remains one of America's most beloved First Ladies, whose grace and courage during the dark days following President Kennedy's tragic death will long be remembered. The Honorable John Glenn of Ohio Mr. President, I think it is good that the Senate leadership has seen fit to set aside some of this time this morning for tributes to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. When she passed away in New York, America lost a heroine, and Annie and I certainly lost a very good friend. I was privileged to first meet Jackie over 30 years ago, shortly after my orbital flight, when she and President Kennedy were in the White House. There were so many good times back then that it would be hard to recount all of them. Those who have described those years in the White House as Camelot surely know that a very large part of the reason was the style and the class and the elegance that Jackie brought to her duties as First Lady. Along with all other Americans who lived through that period in history, Annie and I stood literally in awe--utter awe--of the dignity, the grace, and the courage that she displayed in those sad and awful days following the President's assassination in Dallas. But following that, Jackie refused to live the rest of her life as a frozen frame in history, as a single snapshot. She regrouped, she remarried, she began and sustained a highly successful career in the publishing industry. And all the while she nurtured and raised her two children to be well adjusted and outstanding young adults, an achievement that she herself regarded and said was the best and most important thing that she had ever done. Through it all, Jackie remained an intensely private person of whom the public could simply not get enough. Though she shunned the spotlight, she was generous with her time and always remembered her friends. I will never forget when I was first running for office for the Senate, getting a call one day. She volunteered to help me campaign in Ohio for a seat in the Senate, and did radio spots for us back in that campaign. The swiftness of Jackie's passing left all of us shocked and even a little bit numb. It seemed we just heard she had a problem and she was gone. For three decades she has been a fixture in our national consciousness. It is hard to believe she is really gone. After all, in so many ways and for so many years, she was not just a First Lady, but for many Americans-- for most Americans, I think--she was ``the First Lady of our Nation.'' For her grace, for her courage, and, above all, for her unfailing dignity, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis will be remembered as a woman not just for her time but for all time, and we shall miss her greatly. The Honorable Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon Mr. President, few First Ladies have impacted the country in the manner of the late Mrs. Jacqueline Onassis. It is a distinct honor to join my colleagues in recognizing her contributions to our Nation which, because thanks and praise were not her motivations, too often went unnoticed. Perhaps the most fitting and most lasting tributes to Mrs. Onassis exist already. They are found in the buildings she herself worked to preserve in Washington and in New York. Mrs. Onassis will be remembered for redecorating the White House, but should be remembered also for instigating its restoration and preservation. In addition, were it not for her efforts the stunning Old Executive Office Building next door would not be still standing. Her foresight in preserving the architecture of years past is reflected for us all in the elegant buildings which grace Pennsylvania Avenue today. We must also not overlook her passion for books and later for publishing. It was due to her efforts that an array of distinctive books were made available to the rest of us. She was known for searching out new authors and ideas. The arts were a personal passion she brought with her to the White House and which engaged her for the remainder of her life. The influence on the rest of the country of this beloved interest will be lasting. Nineteenth century author Mary Ann Evans, known to the world as George Eliot once wrote: Ideas are poor ghosts until they become incarnate in a person. Then, they look out through eyes of compassion, They touch with warm, redemptive hands, And then, They shake the world like a passion. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, with a manner which was subdued but never frail, shook this Nation. Ironically, without ever intending to do so. Her work to both preserve our Nation's history and to foster its ever-evolving artistic culture deserves tremendous credit and thanks. She will remain an inspiration for generations to come. The Honorable Howell Heflin of Alabama Mr. President, America and the world lost an icon and living legend on May 19, when former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died after a battle with cancer. Even now, over a month after her sudden passing, people everywhere are still trying to articulate what she meant to them personally and to assess her place in history. The most striking aspect of her death to me has been the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from all over the world, accompanied by descriptive terms like style, grace, elegance, dignity, and class. This remarkable woman was indeed all of these things and more, and she embodied the very best things that we like to think characterize America itself. Of course, we don't have royalty in this country, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis never wanted to be our Queen. She just wanted to raise her children and live her life in her own way, pursuing the things she enjoyed and devoting herself to causes about which she felt strongly. Even decades after she left the White House, she marveled at the exalted place she occupied in the eyes of the public, once remarking to a friend that she couldn't understand why anyone would care what she did or said. Perhaps Jackie herself didn't understand her fame, but to millions of people, she was the closest thing America has ever had to royalty, and they were intensely interested in her and everything she did. Ironically, while her celebrity was unparalleled, she could be spotted in Central Park spending quiet times with her grandchildren or strolling along the streets of Manhattan alone. Her public, for the most part, respected her privacy, admiring her from afar. Maybe it was her mystery that made her so appealing to so many. After leaving the White House, she gave no public interviews, wrote no memoirs, and did no talk shows. Many wished she had. But somehow it was appropriate that she remained private to the end, because that mysterious and private image is, to a large degree what made her who she was. She felt no need to involve herself in politics other than to lend her support to her family whenever they needed it. Jackie just wanted to live her life in quiet dignity, surrounded by her close friends and family. Her children, Caroline and John, Jr., were Jackie's greatest passion, and are certainly her greatest legacy. A large part of her life over the last three and a half decades was devoted to the task of making sure her children were raised the right way. She deserves a great deal or credit for the job she did, especially since she succeeded so well in spite of the unique challenges faced by single parents. The glare of the media spotlight certainly didn't make her job any easier. Cultural pursuits were Jackie's other great passion. She was always fascinated by the arts and literature, and for the last decade and a half of her life as a book editor in New York, she was responsible for the publication of some remarkable works. I had the privilege of working with her while she was editing former Alabama Congressman Carl Elliott's book ``The Cost of Courage: The Journey of an American Congressman'' a few years ago. Congressman Elliott was the first recipient of the JFK Profiles in Courage award, and she took an abiding and personal interest in his life and the sacrifices he made in the name of principle. Last December, she sent him a bouquet of flowers for his 80th birthday. Her accompanying note read, ``Pretend that I'm there holding your hand because I wish I could be.'' In January, he received another letter from her saying how much she had enjoyed seeing a televised documentary about his life. Stories abound about such selfless and simple acts of kindness on her part. These were among her trademarks. Jackie was an international figure, loved around the world, yet she was quintessentially American. It made us proud when she charmed de Gaulle and Khrushchev. She proved to an often skeptical world that refinement and culture were not strangers to us. She spoke several languages fluently, and was treated as royalty wherever she went. As First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy has a unique position in a changing world. She and John Kennedy were partners in the reinvigoration of America. She brought youth, vitality, intelligence, and, of course, a new style to the White House. We owe her a great deal of thanks for restoring the White House to its place as a showplace of American design and architecture, and for working to make the Federal Government a source of support for the arts in our country. The National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities are direct results of her efforts to enhance the place of culture and literature in our society. It is an understatement to say that America has never known--and will probably never know again--anyone else like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. When she died, people who had never met her spontaneously broke into tears, unable to explain exactly why. Perhaps it was because she was our last link to Camelot and all that it symbolized, a living symbol of an all- too-brief slice of the past during which anything seemed possible. Or perhaps it was because of the way she held the Nation together that dark weekend after her husband's tragic death. Or maybe it was that she was such an integral part of us--an American original--despite her intensely private nature. Jackie's final resting place next to John Kennedy and the eternal flame she lit over 30 years ago is both fitting and poignant. Even though she lived over three decades after the assassination, we still feel cheated because she died so suddenly and untimely. She was active and vibrant until the very end. There was so much more that we looked forward to from this extraordinary woman, just as was the case with her husband. And yet as sad as her death was, it is somewhat fitting that she is finally reunited with him, because visitors to that special sight will now come to focus more on them as a team and what they meant together to our Nation. They will remain symbols of hope for generations to come, and will continue to remind us of the very best things about ourselves and our country. Through her style, grace, elegance, dignity, and class in the aftermath of one of the greatest tragedies to ever befall the Nation and world, Jackie secured her rightful place in history. Her strength and determination comforted us, and taught us a great deal about ourselves. We will miss her, and will be forever grateful to her. The Honorable Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina Mr. President, when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis passed away last month, it was a former First Lady who died, but the Nation mourned as though it had lost a beloved former President. Certainly, those of us in this body who were privileged to know her feel a profound sense of loss. However, I would not say that our grief is any greater than that of millions of Americans who never met her, yet who revered her in a very special and personal way. As First Lady, Jackie Kennedy was not politically active on the model of Eleanor Roosevelt or Hillary Rodham Clinton. However, I dare say that she served the country more intensely and profoundly than any First Lady in history. She did so in the course of those dark days in November. At a time of unspeakable personal loss, when we should have been supporting and steadying her, it was she who supported and steadied us. It was a veiled and valiant Jackie Kennedy who supported and steadied an entire nation. For that act of sustained courage and fortitude, our beloved former First Lady will be remembered and honored for centuries to come. The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas Madam President, the leadership has designated today for tributes to the sister-in-law of our colleague from Massachusetts, so I rise to remember an elegant First Lady and a lost national treasure, Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. While she rarely spoke in public and protected her privacy throughout her life, her effect on the spirit of the American people was great, because of her strength, and because of her love of beauty. President Kennedy once praised Robert Frost, saying that ``because he knew the midnight as well as the high noon, because he understood the ordeal as well as the triumph of the human spirit, he gave his age strength with which to overcome despair.'' When President Kennedy's own death threatened our Nation with despair, his widow's strength helped us to overcome the midnight of that ordeal. Madam President, I was just a college student during the Kennedy Administration. Our generation of young women was profoundly affected by the grace and dignity of the First Lady. We were fascinated by her--as was the world. The Kennedys celebrated art and beauty in many ways, and she was the leader in that great effort. She preserved the historic stateliness of Lafayette Park, restored the magnificence of the White House, and filled its halls with the music of great artists like Pablo Casals. When she left the White House, her work as a doting mother and a steadfast champion of the arts became quieter, but she lost none of her zeal for either role, and she built a great legacy in both. She was like a vision who moved, in Edmund Burke's words, ``just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like the morning star full of life and splendor and joy.'' When that joy was shattered, she preserved that splendor, and her morning star continued to enrich our lives. Madam President, today I offer the condolences of all Texans to my colleague from Massachusetts and to the other relatives and friends who survive her. May she rest in peace. Thank you, Madam President. The Honorable John F. Kerry of Massachusetts Mr. President, the most effective leaders are not only those people who lead in policy and in action, but those who lead by example. Jacqueline Kennedy was a dignified, educated, well-rounded person who inspired the emulation of millions of people, and who had a profound effect on this world just by being herself. Jackie had a clear vision of herself, and also of us. Whether or not we are aware, the image she defined of her husband--by characterizing his Presidency as Camelot--forever changed the standard for leaders in this country, and in fact, the world. She and her husband affected this period of history with enlightenment and idealism, making us all believe that collectively we were capable of great things, and making us more determined to pursue such potentials. Jackie set all of our sights a little higher. Jackie realized what President Kennedy and our entire country were before we realized it ourselves. Even though he was the leader of the free world, Jack was a young President, and Jackie's substantial presence legitimized his role. For example, it was she, not her husband, that awed the imposing, chauvinistic Charles de Gaulle--along with his entire country. She successfully established an environment and an atmosphere that validated her husband's position. Such a function may be another generation's view of what a woman should aspire to be, but recall that Jackie was not to be pigeon-holed. A working woman when her husband met her and a working woman after he died, Jackie Onassis lived almost every role among which women choose: homemaker, supporter of her husband, success in her own right, mother, individual. And she accomplished these objectives without making speeches, she communicated a meaningful message to us without using words. Through her choices and her actions, she advocated a life of dignity, culture, and strength. Her strength was at times monumentally important. Her solemn, collected presence at Lyndon Johnson's side, while her husband's blood still dried on her dress, was the only sign that convinced the Nation and the world that this country's leadership was intact. Her composure kept us together politically as well as emotionally. But think about how difficult it must have been to have been part of the moment that officially pronounced her husband, who was alive and vibrant only hours earlier, to be a part of history--to participate in the transfer of the title he had died for to another man. The sorrow surrounding Jack's death had the potential to engulf her and this entire country. Had she not such tremendous reserve, had she not so responsibly hid her tears from us, we might well have been torn apart. Jackie was a wonderful person to know. Those of us who spent time with her were truly fortunate. There was something about Jackie that was too beautiful for this world. There was also a part of her that was unbearably sad. That one enchanting soul had to endure so much heartbreak is tragic. She outlived two husbands, a baby boy, Patrick, and gave birth to a stillborn daughter. In the most painful of ways, time and again, Jackie proved that she was a survivor. Jackie, much of this country was in love with you, but for all our collective concern, we couldn't keep tragedy from claiming those around you. All that we offered you was attention, which at times increased your pain. But, graciously, you never made us feel our adoration to be unrequited. Even as you conducted your life and raised your children in private, you never made us feel rejected. You gently presented us with your previous vision, and left us with a cherished legacy of idealism and elegance. You created and cultivated a perfectly intact and proud moment in our history that continues to define us, and in your absence, we will always strive to recreate that. We will never forget you. The Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey Mr. President, on Thursday, May 19, in the year of 1994, a woman who had influenced the style of the country, given comfort to our people, and always demonstrated dignity and grace, passed away. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was a woman who touched many people--Senators and citizens, executives and blue-collar workers, Americans and people throughout the world. In the words of one woman, Kristin Cabral, who paid her respects during the cavalcade along Washington's streets, ``[Jackie] was not just some plastic icon, but a very strong person and woman. I very much believed in her.'' I, too, very much believed in her and that which she accomplished. As the First Lady, Jackie worked hard to create a cultural atmosphere in the White House and the Capital by promoting the arts. Through these efforts, she brought an appreciation for the arts to the United States as a whole. Later, as an editor, she continued this work, bringing many wonderful books to the printing press and to the public. Dealing with pain and tragedy is a most difficult experience, and it becomes almost unbearable when it occurs in the public eye. Jackie's courage during those horrible days after November 22, 1963, gave the country strength. Instead of giving comfort to her, we drew courage from her. At that time, I was a businessman in New Jersey, active in civic affairs, but not yet involved in the political world in which Jackie found herself. I felt the enormous blow that struck the whole country, and also took comfort from Jackie's stoic countenance and composure. My father was a cancer victim, as was Jackie. I knew something of the pain she must have felt. But even in her last hours, she was a figure of grace and courage. She chose to spend those final moments enjoying the company of her loved ones. As a fellow Martha's Vineyard vacationer, I often witnessed Jackie's complete devotion to her children and family. I know that her children, John and Caroline, will always remember the graceful, loving, and dedicated woman that all Americans have come to admire and love from afar. Indeed, the memory of this strong woman will live on in the minds of all the people she touched. The indelible mark that she left upon the American people, and people throughout the world will only be deepened by her passing. Our memories of her will burn as bright, and as long, as the eternal flame which marks the grave of President Kennedy, next to whom she now rests in peace. The Honorable Carl Levin of Michigan Mr. President, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis touched a deep chord in the American people--from the day she married young Senator John Kennedy to her days as First Lady, through the tragedy of President Kennedy's assassination and finally through her withdrawal into private life. She remained a figure greatly admired by the public for many more years than she spent in public life. She had an allure that was seemingly irresistible, and a polish and refinement that one hopes would be models for us all. She was a modern woman whose life in many ways personified the changing role of women in America during the second half of the 20th century. Her interests were cultural, artistic and many, and her good taste governed everything in which she involved herself. Protecting her children from the limelight that was forced upon her was probably the primary focus of her young life, and she raised them to be the fine young people they are today. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was taken from her family and loved ones far too soon and the loss for them is surely immeasurable. It is also a loss to those who may not have known her personally but who had great admiration for this woman whose nobility of conduct displayed a consistent and extraordinary grace as she dealt with the severe pressures and demands placed on her. Her passing leaves a void that will not easily be filled and also leaves us diminished as a nation. The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut Mr. President, ``Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all,'' writes the author of Proverbs, Chapter 31. The life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a life of nobility, in the finest sense of the word. She elevated a nation, especially so during a time of great crisis, and now that she is gone, we keenly feel the loss, as if a member of our family had passed away. What is especially poignant about her life is that she never sought the kind of fame she attained. Rather, it was thrust upon her, first through marriage to a Senator with a growing national reputation. Then as First Lady, when Senator John F. Kennedy became President. But Jacqueline Kennedy was not content to simply suffer the limelight she never wanted. She went to work, in public ways and private, to the benefit of all the American people. She transformed the White House from a place to a national treasure; from an address, to a destination. Its beauty today and through the ages to come are due in no small measure to Jackie Kennedy's sense of history, art and style. Perhaps most important, Jacqueline Kennedy held a nation together at a time when the tragedy of John Kennedy's assassination threatened to pull us apart. Hours after holding her dying husband in her lap, she stood by the side of the new President, as he was sworn into office, symbolizing the peaceful continuity of democracy that is at the heart of America's greatness. And in the difficult days that followed, the First Lady not only bore herself with grace and strength, she directed the funeral that will be remembered throughout history for its power, emotion, and meaning. In the years since the triumph and tragedy of the Presidency of John Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis dedicated her life to what she would probably consider her greatest accomplishment: Loving and raising two wonderful children, whose own lives carry on the legacy of service exemplified by John and Jackie Kennedy. The life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is in itself a profile in courage, and a grateful nation will never forget her courage and all that she meant to us. ``Give her the reward she has earned,'' it says in Proverbs 31, ``and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.'' The Honorable Harlan Mathews of Tennessee Mr. President, I would like to take just a moment this morning to pay tribute to the memory of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. As a young assistant to then Governor of Tennessee, Frank Clement, it was my privilege to get to know President Kennedy as we put together a program for the Appalachian region of this country, which has proven to be very advantageous and very helpful to the people of this Nation. I never knew Jacqueline Kennedy. Of course, I knew of her. But, Mr. President, I, like many Americans, came to feel that she was a member of my family. The passing of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis left our Nation poorer in grace, elegance, and dignity. The example of her life has left us an ideal to honor and to hold. Two generations of Americans remember personally the terrible events that she met with incredible measure and presence. From her, a nation learned how to face the loss of our President. But we who remember that time, also learned from her how to find composure and steadiness when we faced tragedy in our own lives. She taught us again--and she taught us more-- in the way she confronted her own death. We still speak of Camelot, and we still ask ourselves what might have been. We will do so throughout the years to come. And when we do, we will remember the woman who remains the Nation's First Lady in more ways than we can recount. She will always be with us. The Honorable Daniel P. Moynihan of New York Mr. President, Jacqueline Onassis touched the lives of millions through her remarkable conduct as First Lady, her courage during a shattering national tragedy, and her ability to then raise two beloved children and succeed brilliantly in a career in publishing. Yet there is even more to be added to the Senate's account of her achievements--her many contributions to the life of America's two greatest cities--New York and Washington, DC. Characteristically, she never sought recognition for these efforts, but they were significant ones and ought to be recorded for history. In New York City, which was her home and which she loved, Mrs. Onassis was for the last two decades a member of the Municipal Art Society, the 102-year-old organization dedicated to historic preservation and the furtherance of civic art in New York. As Senator Kennedy observed in his eulogy, she was much involved in the society's efforts to preserve Grand Central Terminal. Senators may recall the news photographs of her outside Grand Central with the architect Philip Johnson and others in 1975. She led the fight to stop an awful proposal to erect a 53-story office tower atop the magnificent 1913 Beaux Arts Terminal, and ultimately prevailed when in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the New York City landmarks law that protected the station. She also applied her considerable energies and talents to the revitalization of Times Square; to efforts to revive Manhattan's West Side riverfront; to the preservation of St. Bartholomew's Church, and to the protracted fight against a plan to build a skyscraper at Columbus Circle that would have cast a giant shadow over Central Park. Her influence on the city of New York was profound, yet her legacy in the area of civic improvement is perhaps even greater here in the Nation's Capital. During his Inaugural parade in 1961, President Kennedy looked at the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue, then lined with an assortment of structures in varying states of dilapidation and the unfinished Federal Triangle on the south side, and decided that something had to be done with it. He gave this task to Arthur Goldberg, then Secretary of Labor, who in turn assigned it to me, then Secretary Goldberg's assistant. This led to the creation of the President's Commission on Pennsylvania Avenue--later the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation--which produced the plan for developing the 1.1- mile stretch of the avenue between the White House and the Capitol. One of the last instructions President Kennedy gave before departing for Dallas was that a coffee hour be arranged for the Congressional leadership in order to display the model of the Pennsylvania Avenue plan and seek their support. Bill Walton, Charles Horsky, and I, were at lunch discussing this on November 22, 1963, when the White House operator called with the news that the President had been shot. We made our way to the White House; the final word came. We left with this task undone. Or would have had it not been for the intervention of Mrs. Kennedy. Soon after President Kennedy's funeral, she met with President Johnson in the Oval Office. Their conversation was later recounted by Mrs. Kennedy in an interview she gave on January 11, 1974, to Professor Joe B. Franz of the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Franz conducted the interview in Manhattan for an oral history of the Johnson administration. Here is an excerpt from the transcript of Mrs. Kennedy's remarks: I remember going over to the Oval Office to ask him for two things. They were two things I thought that I would like to ask him as a favor. One was to name the space center in Florida ``Cape Kennedy.'' * * * And * * * there were plans for the renovation of Washington and there was this commission, and I thought it might come to an end. I asked President Johnson if he'd be nice enough to receive the commission and sort of give approval to the work they were doing, and he did. It was one of the first things he did. Jacqueline Kennedy asked for Pennsylvania Avenue, for the continuation of the President's Commission on Pennsylvania Avenue. And coming from Mrs. Kennedy, this request understandably made a claim on President Johnson and on his administration. As it did on me. The enterprise soon acquired official sanction, having been wholly informal under JFK. And it moved forward. By the time President Nixon left office, the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation had been established by act of Congress. Today, with construction of the Federal Triangle building at 14th Street well underway, one- third of a century's work is nearly complete--and Jackie made it all possible. A few years back, as the last major features of the redevelopment fell in place, I received from her perhaps the most precious letter I will ever receive from anyone. ``Twenty five years,'' she wrote, ``is a long time not to give up on something.'' Then this: I will be forever grateful dear Pat, for your message to me along the way, for the spirit you brought to something Jack cared about so deeply, and for this happy ending. The poet Yeats said of a man that he was blessed and had the power to bless. Those few lines of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis suggested how very blessed she was in spite of all that came to her as she traveled, in Maurice Tempelsman's words, to Ithaka. On the morning of May 23, Liz and I attended her funeral at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on East 84th Street in Manhattan, the same church where she was baptized as a child. We knew and loved Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis all these many years, and never more than of late when she so wondrously, luminously contributed to any enterprise that might add grace and beauty to the city of New York. She adorned New York as she had adorned Washington before, much as she embellished our age. The Honorable Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island Mr. President, the memory of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis already has become a treasured jewel in our national history. Her grace and presence and her wonderful sense of proportion made her a model that will surely endure for generations to come. We knew her since her childhood when she spent many happy summers at her family home at Hammersmith Farm on Narragansett Bay. Her marriage to our then colleague and future President John Kennedy took place in Newport. Later, Jackie Onassis brought to the White House her sense of harmony, beauty, and style. It was reflected not only in the uncompromising good taste of the restoration of the Executive Mansion itself, but also in the elegance and verve of the parties and events that she hosted there. Her sense of style extended into affairs of government as well. I particularly recall her influence on the legislation which I sponsored creating the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. In her later years, after the trauma and tragedy of Dallas had long receded and after the Onassis era was over, she resumed a life of her own in New York. This was particularly admirable because it was so true to her own instincts and values. She retained her privacy and she brought up her children marvelously well. And she worked as an editor at a craft that she enjoyed and at which she excelled. Her mordant wit and humor often gave laughter and pleasure to her friends. Jackie remained a beautiful person to the end. Her life ended too soon, and we miss her immensely. But she will remain in our hearts, and in the memory of the Nation, a bright spirit of elegance and style that may not soon be equaled. I know that my wife and I already miss her immensely, immensely. The Honorable Larry Pressler of South Dakota Many tributes have been written about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis . . . all of them ring true. She was elegant, beautiful, strong, and courageous. But more importantly, Jacqueline, the public icon, was a very real person. Refusing to simply bask in the social limelight, she epitomized what is important to so many American women today. Jacqueline chose to live a life filled with devotion to her children and grandchildren, career, and personal development. Jacqueline's children and grandchildren were her priority. She constantly made this clear, in the face of relentless public intrusions. For that I applaud her. Jacqueline also forged a career she loved. I have heard that she treated her staff with maternal kindness, and always was concerned about their well being. She was creative, intelligent and inquisitive and developed a sterling reputation in the publishing world on her own professional merits. No one thinks of Jackie as just ``President Kennedy's wife.'' She became a household name in her own right. Fiercely loyal, not only to those around her, but also to herself, and armed with a vast reservoir of inner strength, Jackie lived her life as she desired. Of all the wonderful things I will remember about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, I will remember most the lesson she taught us in her own quiet way: The most important things in life are your family, your contributions to society, treating others well, and remembering to be yourself. Recently, I have come to know and respect her good friend Maurice Tempelsman. I extend my sympathies to both him and her many loving family members. The Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr. of Michigan Mr. President, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has aptly been called a national treasure. Throughout her life, Mrs. Onassis devoted herself to preserving our Nation's historical treasures before everything slips away, before every link with the past is gone. And now, she herself has slipped away from us. Because she embodied some of our Nation's most magnificent moments, and some of its most tragic, her passing has touched all of us in a very personal way. Her own words best explain how she was able to live with the joys and the tragedies which characterized her life: We must give to life at least as much as we received from it. Every moment one lives, is different from the next. The good, the bad, the hardship, the joy, the tragedy, love and happiness are all interwoven into one single indescribable whole that is called life. You cannot separate the good from the bad. And, perhaps there is no need to do so either. Mrs. Onassis lived her life with zeal, dignity, and grace. She was guided by her unique vision of life's possibilities and an understanding of the role history would play in judging our actions. For the few brief years that she graced this city as our Nation's First Lady, she raised our Government's support for the arts and historic preservation to a higher level. The White House became a living monument to America's rich history and culture, where the Nation's best artists and musicians came to perform. The historic preservation crusade, begun during her White House years, continued throughout her life. Aiding in the rescue of Washington's historic Lafayette Square and New York's Grand Central Station from demolition, are among Mrs. Onassis' best known achievements. None of Mrs. Onassis' efforts, however, were as dear to her as the raising of her two children. She referred to that successful effort as the best thing she ever did, and her wish was to be remembered and emulated for that achievement more than for any other. Mr. President, in his book ``The Bouviers,'' John Davis writes: President Kennedy's administration had captured the public imagination in a way few Presidents in the Nation's history had done. His youthful sincerity and enthusiasm had inspired men everywhere with hope for a better world. In the last analysis, his major contribution to his country was spiritual rather than political, and after his death, it was primarily his widow who kept that contribution alive, who perpetuated it. Her majestic conduct at his funeral, from the march to St. Matthew's to the lighting of the eternal flame, her influence in changing the names of national landmarks to Kennedy, her helping with the design of his tomb, her role in founding the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the John F. Kennedy Library, all these contributed immensely to keeping the bright spirit of the slain President alive. Closely allied with her efforts to perpetuate John F. Kennedy's memory is what may well prove to be her most significant contribution of all, as well as the most ephemeral: The presentation of an image of beauty, courage, and grandeur to the world during three of the most shameful and humiliating days in her country's existence. As an incomparable artist in life, it was her supreme privilege and achievement to grant an entire nation, at the time of her husband's funeral, some of the finest moments in its history. It is upon the enduring quality of those moments * * * that her place in history will ultimately rest. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis provided the quote from Shakespeare used by Robert F. Kennedy in his tribute to the President at the 1964 Democratic National Convention: When he shall die Take him and cut him out in little stars And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night, And pay no worship to the garish sun. I believe the words of Shakespeare are equally appropriate in memorializing her. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. And so, the architect of the eternal flame at Arlington-- Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis--will now be immortalized by it. It will forever evoke the memory not only of a fallen President, but of the lady who served beside him and did so much to define his Presidency during what was, in the words of the poet Robert Frost, ``an age of poetry and power.'' The Honorable William V. Roth, Jr. of Delaware Mr. President, there is not a lot that can be said about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis that has not already been said in these past few weeks. Certainly the place this woman held in the consciousness of America was--and remains--somewhere very near our heart. Those who knew her cared deeply for her. We have heard many of their heart-warming remembrances. Those who did not know her personally admired from afar as she brought grace and elegance to a period Americans came to know as Camelot. Indeed, she was a fitting Guinevere, a beautiful and noble woman who enriched the lives of those around her; a woman who believed in her husband and his vision--and who supported that vision in a quiet, regal way. In the process, she forever changed the role of First Lady and even the character of Washington. About the same time America's political story was beginning, the German poet, Friedrich von Schiller was writing about the importance of art, beauty, and aesthetic education on democracy. A part of his conclusion was that, ``Art is the daughter of Freedom . . . . If man is ever to solve the problem of politics in practice, he will have to approach it through the problem of the aesthetic, because it is only through Beauty that man makes his way to Freedom.'' In a profound yet subtle way, Jacqueline Kennedy understood this, that ``it is aesthetic culture that leads to moral nobility, and moral nobility is the precondition of a truly free society.'' Her successful efforts to bring art and culture to Washington forever bless our Nation. Not only was it ennobling, but at a very critical time in our history, it eased the realpolitiks of the tense cold war with softness, beauty, and joy. It would be a grave mistake, however, to appreciate Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis only for the artistic contributions she made. Indeed, she did so much more. In fact, I believe it was in crisis that Americans fell in love with their First Lady. None who were alive and old enough to understand, will ever forget the courage of this woman as she stood beside Lyndon Johnson aboard Air Force One as he took the oath of office only hours after the assassination of her husband. At that moment, Jackie became a legend. And the life she led thereafter as a mother, concerned about living, nurturing, and raising her children beneath the stark glare of media light, only confirmed what we had already come to understand: This was an exceptional woman. The Honorable Jim Sasser of Tennessee Mr. President, I join with my colleagues in paying tribute to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jacqueline Kennedy came to the White House in 1961, as the third youngest First Lady in American history. In three short years, her elegance and grace set a standard by which all future First Ladies have been judged. She restored the White House and made it a national treasure. Under her guidance, sources of historic pieces of art and furniture were returned to the White House. She also made the White House a showcase for the arts--featuring the work of such world-renowned artists as Pablo Casals. When developers threatened Lafayette Park, across from the White House, Mrs. Kennedy stepped in. Lafayette Park was saved and the historic setting of the White House was preserved. Equally important, however, she made a secure and happy home for her family in the White House, giving her children the privacy and security that all children need. It is difficult now to recreate the feeling of idealism of that time. It was as if a New American Age had dawned and anything was possible. That belief, and our own innocence, ended in one shattering moment. Those of us who lived through those terrible days in November of 1963, will never forget the grace, and dignity, and courage Mrs. Kennedy displayed. She quite literally held our country together in its grief. After President Kennedy's assassination, during her remarriage and her career in publishing, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis guarded her privacy zealously. She continued her involvement and support for the arts and historic preservation. She worked to save such historic sites as New York's Grand Central Terminal. As a book editor, she continued her commitment to culture, editing books on the arts and history. Throughout her life, Jacqueline Onassis never hesitated in saying that she considered raising her children to be the most important thing in her life. In the past few years we have seen just how successful she has been--raising her children to be responsible adults with a commitment to public service. Although Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has been taken from us too young, she has left us a legacy of grace and dignity and common sense. She graced our lives with her presence and we are the poorer for her passing. The Honorable Paul Simon of Illinois Mr. President, first, just in commenting on the tribute paid by Senator Mitchell to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, he used the word ``grace.'' That really described her, how she handled herself so well in so many difficult situations. The tribute paid by Senator Kennedy, as well as her friend Maurice Tempelsman, at the funeral, I thought were both eloquent. The Honorable Robert C. Smith of New Hampshire Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is one of the world's most revered women. Her beauty, charm, grace, dignity, and courage were an inspiration to so many. As First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy will long be remembered for her commitment to the arts and the restoration projects in the White House which enhanced its beauty and grandeur. She was a gracious hostess at home and a popular ambassador abroad. I will always remember Jackie Kennedy for her strong commitment to her family. Jackie was an intensely private person and in spite of the public glare of political life, she was able to maintain a stable and loving home for her children. Finally, how could anyone forget the strong, courageous widow mourning President Kennedy's death while our Nation mourned with her. Her strength and character carried us through those turbulent years and helped our country to face a new day. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is a national treasure. Her life and her accomplishments have changed the course of history. We will always be grateful for having known her. The Honorable Paul David Wellstone of Minnesota Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to the memory of an American heroine, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. When Mrs. Onassis passed away in May, she left a void in the hearts of not only Americans, but people all over the world. We are all saddened by her untimely death. We mourn her loss, not just as an American icon, but for her rich legacy. As a young First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy fulfilled the role perfectly. But she was more than the poised and beautiful wife of our President, John F. Kennedy. She brought with her to the White House, a love and knowledge of history and culture, and a desire to make the White House the most important home in America. She filled it with donated pieces of American furniture and art, appropriate for the home of a President. She also brought prominent musicians and artists to the White House and helped to make our Nation's Capital a cultural center. Most important of all, she made the White House a home and filled it with the laughter of her children, Caroline and John, Jr. whom she adored. Her desire to maintain their privacy made us respect her even more. And she taught a nation how to mourn. When President Kennedy was assassinated, she orchestrated the arrangements. We were all with her that sorrow-filled weekend, and we paid tribute to our slain President as our Nation had honored another assassinated President, Abraham Lincoln. We will hold forever in our memories the sight of a riderless horse, and a little 3-year-old boy saluting his father one last time, and an eternal flame which still blazes brightly at Arlington National Cemetery. With her courage and the great dignity she possessed, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis helped our Nation heal following the loss of the President. Over the years and in private life, she maintained her commitment to historic preservation, and worked diligently to save historic sites, including New York's Grand Central Terminal. As a book editor, she continued to promote culture, and was instrumental in the publishing of books on art, history, and dance. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis leaves many lasting and significant contributions, and I am honored to join my colleagues in paying tribute to her. Admired and loved by all Americans, we will miss this extraordinary woman. TRIBUTES BY REPRESENTATIVES The Honorable Robert E. Andrews of New Jersey Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an inspiration to an entire generation of Americans. Her grace and dignity, her bearing and inner beauty were respected and envied by world leaders and day laborers alike. No one who met her ever walked away feeling anything less than honored to make her acquaintance, yet she never used the awe in which people held her to diminish their sense of self-worth. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an American treasure, and her memory will forever invoke fond images of ``Camelot'', when the leadership of our Nation reflected its youthful image. She was the embodiment of the values and qualities of her generation, and those generations that follow would be well served to make her an ideal they strive to achieve. The imprint she has left on American society, and the world whose imagination she captured, will never be diminished. The Honorable James H. Bilbray of Nevada Mr. Speaker, when I was a college student, I was asked to be a part of the effort to help elect John F. Kennedy, a distinguished young Senator from Massachusetts, to become President of the United States. I quickly accepted and became the southern Nevada coordinator of the Students for Kennedy. I remember my dad, who was in political office at the time, told me that John Kennedy could not win because he was a Catholic and not a Mason. My dad was a Baptist and a Mason. This statement made me work even harder. After he won the November election, I remember how proud all of us were. The First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, gave elegance and refinement to the White House that had not been seen since Dolly Madison. I remember my wife, Mikey, making me be quiet or telling me to quit blocking the TV when Jackie was speaking or just in the picture. All of us believed we were part of something special and when the phrase ``Camelot'' was coined, it felt perfect. And even though I could not be considered a knight of the round table, I felt I was at least a page in the fabulous court. Jack Kennedy was certainly Arthur and Jackie was his Guinevere. That awful day in November 1963, when Camelot came to an end will be remembered by all of us. It will never be forgotten. Something truly important, not only to America, but to my wife and I personally, had come to an end. But we do have wonderful memories. All of us were amazed at the grace and dignity of Jacqueline during that terrible ordeal. Over the years my wife and I have always followed her walk through history. She was grace and elegance beyond compare. There will never be another one like her. So I say in conclusion, ``farewell, fair Guinevere. We do miss you.'' The Honorable Lucien E. Blackwell of Pennsylvania I did not know her. But, I believe she knew me. We never met. From a distance, however, the force of her personality and what she stood for, made her seem near. When I consider the impact of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis' years with us, I am reminded of the image of Daniel, and the passage, ``Dare to be a Daniel; Dare to walk alone; Dare to have a purpose firm; and Dare to make it known.'' In America, we have people of varied backgrounds. On the one hand, there are far too many who are among the hungry, the unemployed, the poor, the sick, the downtrodden, those without education, health care, nutrition, or proper clothing, those without hope. On the other hand, there are those who are among the comfortable, the untroubled, those who have managed to prosper and move into affluence. Those without hope are not always seen by those who are comfortable. To see them, clustered beneath the dim lights and dark streets, one must venture out. The First Lady dared to be different. She dared to venture out. By challenge and chance, she came to know each kind of individual represented in America. When she was First Lady, at the tender age of 31, she had ascended to the top of the ladder. Many, too many, in America remained on the lower rungs. Her's was the language of lyrics, theirs more common. She knew what America and the World offered. They didn't even dream about what she knew. In public, she dressed smartly. They just dressed smart, depending on the weather. Nonetheless, there were few who were not warmed by the thought and feeling that she was First Lady to all America. In the barber and beauty shops, in little towns and big cities, they spoke of boxing, fashions, baseball, children, economics, family, and politics, the loudest seemed the more convincing. Competing with the noise from others, speaking loudly was a necessity. However, when they spoke of ``Our First Lady,'' their tones softened. They were proud Americans, and they were more proud to have her in the White House. I am not certain why she captured the attention and imagination of so many in this country. Perhaps it was because she took on the task of restoring the White House, signaling important change for our Nation. Possibly, it was the story told of the First Lady, clad in a pullover sweater and jeans, apparel of the ordinary, helping to remove items from a moving truck into the White House, carrying the heaviest mirrors! Or perhaps it was her mastery of language. She spoke in French when in France, in Italian when in Italy, and in Spanish when in Spain. Perhaps, it was because, with her broad language background, they believed she could communicate, with them. Most likely, their interest was due in large measure to the ``Jackie Look,'' a look that was fresh and new and offered promise for a better way of life. The reason is far less important than the result. They believed the First Lady could see what they saw, could feel what they felt, understood what they understood. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. I did not know her. But, she knew us. She was a First Lady, with class. The Honorable Thomas J. Bliley, Jr. of Virginia Mr. Speaker, in the early 1960s I was asked as a student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to be the head of the Students for Kennedy in southern Nevada. I was so proud that I was asked to do this as an active member of the Young Democrats, and I worked very, very hard. Even though I cannot consider myself a knight in Camelot, I certainly considered myself a squire or maybe only a page, but I worked very, very hard in that election to get then-Senator Kennedy elected President. For the next 3 years I watched in awe, in admiration, as the Kennedy administration moved forward on many programs that I as a Democrat held so near and dear. We certainly admired President Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, and were happy to see the progress of this administration. We were happy when they coined the name Camelot, because again, we felt we were part of that noble cause to bring their justice to all mankind and America in general. We lost that ray of light last night when Jacqueline Kennedy died, and we will remember her forever. That light has gone out, and we feel so bad about it, but her memory will go on forever. We have certainly lost our fair Guinevere. The Honorable Robert A. Borski of Pennsylvania Calling her a ``true symbol of class and dignity and one of America's greatest role models of courage,'' U.S. Representative Bob Borski (3rd-PA) is mourning the death of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who died last week of cancer at the age of 64. ``Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a true inspiration to a generation of Americans aroused by the spirit of youth, hope and idealism that developed when the Nation's youngest President--John Kennedy--was elected to office, only to have those dreams shattered when the President was assassinated,'' said Borski. ``As a First Lady, Jacqueline brought culture and an unending devotion to the arts to the White House, and with that she brought worldwide artistic recognition to America,'' said Borski. ``As a grieving widow, Jacqueline led a horrified Nation in mourning the death of a President. Her strength of character during those difficult days after President Kennedy's death will forever be etched in our minds and was perhaps the greatest sign of strength shown at that time which enabled our Nation to heal,'' added Borski. ``Without ever seeking public adulation Jackie Kennedy Onassis became one of America's treasures,'' said Borski. ``As First Lady, she shared her love of the arts with the world and renovated the White House as a showplace for historic artifacts that the world can appreciate today,'' said Borski. ``By encouraging world-class performances at the White House she brought class and style to the American Presidency,'' added Borski. ``Her love of art and history lasted with her throughout her life. In recent years she is known for helping to preserve historic landmarks in New York City so generations of people will cherish these structures as she did,'' added Borski. ``Despite her enthusiastic devotion to the arts, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis will best be known for her silent strength at a time of America's greatest pain,'' said Borski. ``She touched our hearts as a young widow and her devotion to raising her family under intense media scrutiny was executed with such grace and dignity that she became a model of courage,'' added Borski. ``I never met Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, but like most Americans raised in the Kennedy years, I shared our country's deepest respect for the First Lady. With her husband she brought class and charisma to our Nation when it so yearned for youthful leadership. Since President Kennedy's assassination, I remain awed by that same woman whose greatest strength was restraint under the glare of media always following her. She did not live her life in the limelight but rose above that to live her life in silent dignity and grace, and I believe she won the love and respect of a Nation as a result,'' said Borski. ``Thoughts of comfort are with the Kennedy family during this sad time which is truly the end of an era in American history,'' concluded Borski. The Honorable Corrine Brown of Florida All the world is familiar with the poignant photographs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Every American remembers the cataclysmic assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in Dallas, and Jackie's grace in mourning. All of this is deeply embedded in the historical record of the United States and in the memory of a grateful Nation. However, there is much more to remember about this gracious matron. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is one of those Presidential wives who maintained a large enduring following long after she left the White House. The public adored her performance in the role of the First Lady and her ability to preside with regal grace. She made a lasting contribution by revitalizing the antique splendor of the White House casting a spell on Charles de Gaulle and all of France during President Kennedy's visit to Paris, and by raising her children in the public eye. Part of America's fascination with Jackie lies in the sheer drama of her life; First Lady at age 31; a widow at 34. She will always be regarded as a something of an enigma. Perhaps, what is most amazing about Jacqueline is that despite her public and seemingly tragic life, she managed to create and maintain an identity of her own. She closely guarded her private life and retained an air of mystery, while remaining an object of public adulation until her death. Last but not least, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis will be remembered for her many talents, her charm, her bravery and her grace under pressure which inspired a grieving Nation. We miss her dearly. The Honorable Jerry F. Costello of Illinois Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our Nation's former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Mrs. Onassis was the living embodiment of grace, courage and character in the face of tremendous adversity. None of us will forget the dignity and bravery she showed after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. She worked hard after that moment to raise her children, John Kennedy, Jr. and Caroline Kennedy, in as normal an atmosphere as their celebrity would allow. Her strong commitment to family and her desire to keep them out of the glare of the spotlight were admirable and will be a lasting credit to her. Mr. Speaker, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had a lasting impact on our Nation's perception of the White House as a home to our First Family. She dramatically altered the perception of the American people toward the First Lady, making the White House more accessible for generations to come. I join my colleagues in honoring her memory today. The Honorable Ron de Lugo, Delegate of the Virgin Islands Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a woman of elegance and poise who captivated our Nation with her grace and charm. As our First Lady, her beauty and presence enchanted the world as no other ever has. In her time of tragedy and ours, she shared the grief of a Nation with impeccable composure and dignity, and she reassured us that we could, too. In years after, though followed relentlessly by the press, she always upheld the bond of trust with the people of this country as our custodian of the legacy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I recall so well her visit to the Virgin Islands in 1959, accompanying her young husband as he sought my support for the Democratic nomination the next year. I will always remember what a beautiful couple they were, so vibrant and so filled with dreams for tomorrow. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis symbolized an era of boundless promise, a time of shattered hopes, and the rekindling of faith for an entire generation of Americans. We owe this remarkable woman our tribute for all that she was and all that she did for our Nation. The Honorable Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut As a woman, I owe so much to Jackie Kennedy Onassis. She truly was the role model for my generation. As a wife, mother, First Lady, and widow, she was the epitome of grace and style. In triumph, she captured our imaginations, and in tragedy, she captured our hearts. For 1,000 glorious days of Camelot, Jackie captured our imaginations. But, from the start it was clear that she was more than the beautiful wife of the handsome young President. When Jackie Kennedy moved into the White House, she singlehandedly changed the way our country viewed First Ladies. This was a woman who had her own identity--smart and stylish, she captivated the world. And, in those three awful days in November of 1963, Jackie captured our hearts. It is for what she did then, that our Nation owes the most to Jackie. In those dark days, her inner strength and dignity served as a beacon of hope and her fortitude of spirit helped heal a heartbroken Nation. Jackie had survived and we knew that we must, too. Jackie Kennedy Onassis lives on in our collective memory. Her legacy reaches far beyond her children and grandchildren or the causes that she championed throughout her life. Her greatest legacy is the adoring Nation she left behind. We will miss Jackie Kennedy Onassis, but we will never forget her. The Honorable Eliot L. Engel of New York Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to a great lady who passed away last night in my hometown of New York. I mean, of course, our former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. To those of us growing up in the 1960s, Jacqueline Kennedy, along with her husband, President John F. Kennedy, personified a new generation of energy, spirit, and hope. Indeed, my very first calling to become involved in politics and government was in great part inspired by the Kennedys. To me, Jacqueline Kennedy represented a kind of royalty in America, in a good sense. She was truly queen of our country during the short period she served as First Lady. Who could ever forget her televised tour of the White House or her pillbox hats or the Jackie Kennedy hairdos? Who could ever forget the dignity and grace with which she conducted herself during the terrible period after the assassination? I had the pleasure of meeting Jacqueline Kennedy only once in 1980, when she came to my home community in the Bronx to campaign with me for Ted Kennedy. I did not know what to expect, but found her charming, personable, and gracious. In her later years, she was very much a part of the New York City spirit, involving herself in a number of causes. We were very proud that Jacqueline Kennedy, born in New York, chose New York City for her home. She will truly be missed, but never forgotten. And my condolences go out to her children, grandchildren, and all of her family. The Honorable Anna G. Eshoo of California Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues this evening to honor and pay tribute to the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who was called home by her Maker on May 19, 1994. Jackie Kennedy was consistently viewed as the most admired woman of our generation. She was the dominant symbol to Americans--especially American women, for she was a touchstone for the experiences of women of her generation. In 1953, Jacqueline Bouvier married John F. Kennedy. Having won World War II, veterans had returned home, began having started families, and found jobs. Soon these young couples were called on to assume positions of leadership. They were determined to make a difference. John and Jackie Kennedy were one of those couples. They were part of that group of young people who John Kennedy said, ``Must step forward and provide a new generation of leaders.'' And on a frigid January afternoon in 1960, this young couple stood before the Nation. As Jackie held the Bible, John Kennedy took the oath of office for the Presidency. During the campaign, Jackie had proved her mettle to the rough and tumble Kennedy clan. In a family that demanded toughness, Jackie showed an inner strength without sacrificing that refined demeanor. As one-half of the First Couple, Jackie Kennedy demonstrated her commitment to being part of this new generation of leadership. When Jackie came to the White House, the residence showed a lack of care and dignity. She changed that. With breathtaking speed she restored the White House inside and out. Beautiful gardens and magnificent rooms were restored and completed under her personal supervision. And while the White House was the private residence of the First Family, Mrs. Kennedy knew it also represented something important and historic to every American. She opened up the White House to all Americans by starting White House public tours which have allowed millions of people to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Fittingly, today one of the most requested features on the tour of the White House is Jacqueline Kennedy's portrait. Mr. Speaker, on her first day as First Lady, Jackie Kennedy began working on bringing an artistic and intellectual transformation to Washington. She orchestrated social events that brought Nobel Prize winners, musical legends, and cultural icons together at the White House. In 1961, Jackie started the Pennsylvania Avenue Restoration project. Taking a neighborhood of seedy storefronts and abandoned buildings, the project turned Pennsylvania Avenue into one of the great boulevards of the world. Mr. Speaker, Jackie Kennedy turned the White House and Washington into a place of beauty and interest that all Americans viewed with pride and a confidence that it represented what was exciting and good about our country. And the First Couple's own elegance and grace added to the belief of that generation that all things were possible. But as we know that confidence was shattered in Dallas. With those catastrophic events in 1963, Jackie once more stood as a symbol of her generation. She singularly carried the overwhelming grief of an entire Nation and citizens of the world who had suffered such an incalculable loss. And with a strength that has become mythic in its proportion, she stood before the entire world for 4 days and never flinched. She became a source of reverence and awe that we would remember forever. Images from those terrible days are etched in our minds . . . the young widow her beautiful face filled with such pain, such grief. We endured because she did. In the years following the loss of the President, Jackie became what Norman Mailer called ``The Prisoner of Celebrity.'' And while she endured the paparazzi, Jackie did not allow her children to be exposed to the destruction of publicity. Jackie Kennedy once said, ``If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much.'' It was always clear that what mattered most to Jackie were her children. Mr. Speaker, like many of her generation, Jackie Kennedy was a single parent. She met that challenge as he did others-- with dedication and commitment. She gave her children her love and her time, and supported them in their activities and life decisions. The results of her efforts are two-fold, centered and successful children who adored their mother and have the values of both their parents. Mother, wife, First Lady, business executive, benefactor, and philanthropist; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was the most admired woman of her generation. When she died all of us closed a chapter in our lives--a chapter in our Nation's history. Her grace and strength sustained a Nation during tragedy. Her beauty and intellect made us proud. She not only rests next to her husband, and the child who passed on before them, but in the mind and heart of a grateful Nation and the world. When she died, her son John said, ``Now she is in God's hands.'' As her brother-in-law, and our colleague, Senator Kennedy, said, ``She will never really leave us.'' Thank you Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for leading a life of purpose and ennobling all of us for a lifetime and more. The Honorable Thomas F. Foley of Washington Mr. Speaker, I join with Members of the House of Representatives, on both sides of the aisle in extending our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. In 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy's steadfast strength and courage, perhaps more than anything else during that fateful week, led this Nation through a tragic episode in American history. Over the years, her dignity in crisis became a symbol of our national character; and her elegance and style changed the look of America. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis combined intellectualism with social tradition--professionalism with style and grace--and created, perhaps ahead of her time, a standard for contemporary American women. Few people have such a profound impact on their time as did Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Her dignity, elegance, and courage are forever etched in our collective memory as part of a unique period in American history that reflected the best of what we are as a Nation, and who we are as a people. Generations to come will remember her as a standard of American culture and character. Mr. Speaker, I believe I speak for every Member of this House when I say that we join the Nation in mourning Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and remembering what she meant to this Nation. The Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman of New York Mr. Speaker, I join with our colleagues in mourning the passing of a truly remarkable woman, at too premature an age. Each First Lady in our Nation's history--from Martha Washington through Hillary Clinton--has enjoyed a significant impact on our Nation. Few, however, have had as tremendous an influence as did Mrs. Kennedy. Today, our young people may not appreciate that, prior to the Kennedy administration, the White House was considered a temporary residence by its occupants, and enjoyed little historic significance. Mrs. Kennedy, virtually single-handedly, transformed the White House into a national treasure. She scoured the Nation for furnishings and trappings of by-gone eras, and in many cases through cajolery, convinced private citizens to re-donate to the American people items of historic significance. As a result of her crusade, the White House became an invaluable historic landmark during her husband's administration. As hard as it may be to believe today, prior to Jackie Kennedy's tenure as our First Lady the White House was not even officially listed by the Federal Government as a historic site. She vigorously campaigned for this designation, as she also vigorously campaigned for the funding--the vast majority of which was from the private sector--necessary for the restoration and preservation of the White House. Few of the visitors to the White House today appreciate that it is due to Mrs. Kennedy's efforts that its value as an informative and favorite stopping place for tourists, as well as a historic landmark, is preserved for us and for future generations. We must not forget, either, that it was through her efforts that the White House, and Washington, DC, became a cultural center. The Center for the Performing Arts, which today is named in memory of President Kennedy, was her inspiration. Most Americans are well aware and quite conscious of the fact that, during her tenure as First Lady, Mrs. Kennedy set a style of elegance and grace in the White House which captivated the imagination of the world, and which rapidly became the hallmark of Americanism throughout the world. My close friend, Oleg Cassini, served as Mrs. Kennedy's fashion designer and the revolutionary changes he and she made on the styles of the day reverberate to this day. Not so many Americans are conscious of another, even more indelible contribution made by Mrs. Kennedy: The example she set of dignified courage in the face of overwhelming personal tragedy. The assassination of the President, on November 22, 1963, was one of the most traumatic single events in all of history. President Kennedy's youth and vigor made his sudden, totally unanticipated death all the more shocking and distressing. The fact that the United States had not experienced a Presidential assassination in over 62 years, and the fact that what was then the new electronic age, brought the horror of the assassination into virtually every living room in America, only underscored the deep emotional impact which it had on all alive at that time. Mrs. Kennedy was only the second First Lady in history to be present at the scene of the awesome crime, and accordingly would have been justified in a total withdrawal from the public eye. Instead, with infinite grace, Mrs. Kennedy publicly led our Nation through its period of mourning. Her grieving face, standing next to President Johnson as he was sworn in just minutes after the assassination, is etched in the public memory forever. She, in fact, is the focal point of all our shared memories of that tragic weekend: Her kneeling at the coffin in the Capitol Rotunda; her urging her small son to salute his daddy's casket; and her accepting the folded American flag at Arlington National Cemetery--all of these images are forever frozen in the national consciousness and were indispensable in allowing us to cope with this monumental tragedy. The assassination of President Kennedy was the first single event in all of history which was known by over 90 percent of all Americans within an hour of its occurrence. Her strength and dignity throughout the 4 days of memorial services did much to keep the Nation united during this time of uncertainty and dread. Her conduct throughout the remainder of the 1960s set an example which all of us in the future should use as an appropriate role model. Although the tabloid press and the sensationalist elements in our society attempted to utilize her persona to their own ends, she remained above all controversy and criticism in silent dignity, pursuing her own grace and charm while protecting her children from the glare of needless publicity. Throughout the twilight of her life, Jacqueline Kennedy chose to die with dignity. Her courage in the face of fatal illness, her refusal to be kept alive by artificial means, and her insistence in passing away in the presence of her dearest loved ones have humbled us all. The manner of her passing was an example to all of us on death with dignity, and is tragic only because, at the relatively tender age of 64, we appreciate that she had so much more to contribute and to be with us. We extend our condolences to her children, John, Jr. and Caroline, to her grandchildren, and to the many family members and loved ones who were touched by the life of this remarkable woman. The Honorable William F. Goodling of Pennsylvania She was the epitome of grace. Beautiful, charming, and intelligent, she was a model First Lady. And she was a devoted mother who raised two very fine children under difficult circumstances. Through her inner strength, she set an excellent example which helped bring the Nation through a tragic time. The Honorable Earl F. Hilliard of Alabama Mr. Speaker, John Doone, the 14th century English poet, wrote about the democracy of death, and I quote: It comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes. The ashes of an oak in the chimney are no epitaph of that oak, to tell me how high or large it was; it tells me not what flocks it sheltered while it stood, nor what men it hurt when it fell. The dust of a great person's grave is speechless too, it says nothing. It distinguishes nothing. What does distinguish us are the good deeds we do in life, and how we handle the darkest moments of our existence. During one of the saddest moments of our Nation's history, the spirit and strength of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis illuminated our hearts and souls. Her image will be forever etched in all of our minds. To say she was memorable is superfluous. But whomever is old enough to remember Mrs. Kennedy in 1963, dressed in black, attending her husband's funeral, just two rooms over in this Capitol's rotunda, will never forget her. Mrs. Kennedy's composure, was America's composure. Mrs. Kennedy's strength, was our strength. Mrs. Kennedy's loss, was our loss, and Mrs. Kennedy's dignity was America's pride. A door was closed in the history of our Nation when she left us. After all, she was a link to our glorious past, as well as to the legacy of the Presidential years of her beloved husband Jack Kennedy, our late, fallen President. In closing, let us remember the words of the verse that she so often quoted: Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot. God bless you Jackie, and God bless your family. We will never forget you or Camelot. The Honorable Marcy Kaptur of Ohio Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to commemorate Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who devoted her life to the enrichment of the human spirit and for this, we will always be indebted to her. Throughout her life, Jacqueline continually gave to others, never losing her sense of self. Following President Kennedy's assassination, during times of uncertainty, Jacqueline's inspirational strength and quiet courage provided a tower of strength to guide our Nation through the dark winter of 1963. Jacqueline overcame her own personal loss in order to selflessly bind the country together as a family. During the following years, she raised two children with character, while founding the Kennedy Library. She hoped that this library would be a living legacy to her husband. Jacqueline's love of excellence, perpetual optimism, and hope enriched the lives of millions. She never cashed in her life's story, nor wore her life on her sleeve. In this day of tell all, she protected her privacy and her children's privacy. She exemplified excellence by her determination to promote the arts and all that is fine in life. Her adventurous spirit and tireless search for a new and better world brightened all our lives. Her life, including her research and contributions to her husband's Pulitzer prize winning ``Profiles in Courage,'' have truly earned her a chapter in that famous book. Throughout history Jacqueline's spirit of fortitude, adventure, and courage will always live on and fill the hearts of America. The Honorable Barbara B. Kennelly of Connecticut Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor the memory of a truly great woman: Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. My parents knew her well during her years in the White House. They knew her as a woman of intelligence, beauty, grace and charm, who captivated the Nation. And in the years following her time in the White House, I watched in admiration as she became well respected in publishing and carried out her philanthropic works in New York. But I will also remember her as a mother who raised her children very well, in remarkably difficult circumstances. In 1963, I was the mother of a young child in Hartford, Connecticut. Like so many others in this country, I was captivated by Jackie. I watched her on TV, I read about her in the paper. I followed her every move. And I grieved for her when the President died. It didn't seem possible that the years of Camelot could come to an end. That she would end up a widow. That her children had lost their father. But she met this tragedy with strength, and helped all of us make the transition to the next era. In the ensuing years she protected her children, helping them lead as normal a life as possible. There were many reasons why we admired Mrs. Onassis: Her intelligence, her beauty, her charm. But it was her ability to face tragedy head on, her strength to build a new life for her and her children, that I will always remember. On behalf of my mother, and the rest of my family, I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to the family of Mrs. Onassis. The Nation once again grieves with you. The Honorable Sander M. Levin of Michigan Mr. Speaker, the death of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis evokes flashes of memory, first and foremost November 22 and its aftermath, her grace, her dignity, her strength. But as we watched television last night and this morning, my wife and I, there were also memories of those days before November 22, their excitement, their sense of decency, and their sense of the worthiness of public service. Some might call those memories illusion. I would call them hope. May that hope not pass on with Jackie Kennedy; instead, may it be rekindled. The Honorable John Lewis of Georgia Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a deep sense of sadness and sorrow over the passing of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Our prayers are with her children, her grandchildren, and other members of her family. Many of us came of age when this beautiful and gifted woman and President Kennedy held the attention of a hopeful nation. In