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SUCH GREAT AFFECTION AND
CONSIDER OURSELVES BLESSED TO
HAVE KNOWN HIM, SERVED WITH HIM
AND HAVE HIM CALL US HIS
FRIENDS.
SO LONG, DONALD, REST IN PEACE
I'D LIKE TO --
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.
I'D LIKE TO YIELD TO
THE GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA,
CONGRESSMAN ANDRE CARSON.
THANK YOU,
CONGRESSWOMAN.
MADAM SPEAKER FROM MY FIRST
DAYS IN CONGRESS, I ALWAYS
CONSIDERED DONALD PAYNE TO BE A
MENTOR AND A FRIEND.
HE TOOK ME AND OTHERS UNDER HIS
WING AND SHOWED US WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, NOT JUST A
POLITICIAN, HE SHOWED ME, LIKE
HE SHOWED SO MANY OF US IN THIS
CHAMBER, HOW MUCH MORE WE
ACCOMPLISH THROUGH HUMILITY AND
COOPERATION THAN THROUGH
BRAVADO AND PARTISANSHIP.
HE WAS BRILLIANT AND HE PUT
THOUGHT INTO EVERY WORD HE SAID
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, MADAM
SPEAKER, HIS WORDS CARRIED
WEIGHT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE AND IN BOTH CHAMBERS.
MOST RECENTLY, I WAS PRIVILEGED
TO SERVE UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP
ON THE BOARD OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.
I WAS ABLE TO SEE UP CLOSE THAT
HE BROUGHT TOGETHER THE DIVERSE
PERSONALITIES AND OPINIONS OF
THE CAUCUS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
A GREATER PURPOSE.
CONGRESSMAN PAYNE MADE OUR
CAUCUS STRONG AND UNITED AND
WHILE WE ATTEMPT TO FILL THE
GAP, HE LEAVES BEHIND, I KNOW
HAVE ANOTHER LEADER
LIKE DONALD PAYNE.
MADAM SPEAKER, LEARNING TO
SERVE IS TRULY AN HONOR BUT IT
ALSO COMES WITH MANY
CHALLENGES.
AS A YOUNG MEMBER, I AM
CONTINUING TO GROW AN FIND MY
PLACE AMONGST MY DISTINGUISHED
COLLEAGUES BUT I FEEL JUST A
LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT.
I FELT A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT
BECAUSE I HAD A ROLE MODEL IN
DONALD PAYNE.
IF I'M GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO
SERB IN THIS GREAT HOUSE, I
LOOK FORWARD TO CARRYING THAT
LEGACY, THE ONE HE STARTED, TO
FIGHT FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED,
TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE
CRITICAL ISSUES THAT DON'T MAKE
THE FRONT PAGE, MADAM SPEAKER.
I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST
SYMPATHIES TO HIS FAMILY AND
STAFF AND THEY KNOW LIKE I DO
HOW GREAT A MEMBER AND GREAT A
MAN HE WAS.
I'M REMINDED OF A PASSAGE OF A
CONVERSATION THAT JESUS HAD
WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN THE BOOK
OF MATTHEW, AN THEY WERE
DEALING WITH THIS NOTION OF
LEADERSHIP.
JESUS SAID, VERY SUCCINCTLY AND
CLEARLY, VERY WISELY AND
PROPHETCALLY TO THEM, HE WHO
WISHES TO BE CHIEF AMONG YOU
SHALL FIRST BE YOUR SERVANT.
LET US REMEMBER AROUND HONOR
DONALD PAYNE, THE TRUE PUBLIC
SERVANT.
I YIELD BACK.
I YELLED TO THE
GENTLEMAN FROM OREGON,
CONGRESSMAN BLUMENAUER.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
TODAY WE MOURN THE LOSS OF A
COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND.
NEWARK LOST ITS CHAMPION.
AFRICA LOST ITS INFORMAL
AMBASSADOR AS DONALD PAYNE
EXERCISED TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP
AND INFLUENCE AS A SENIOR
MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN
SUBCOMMITTEE.
BUT WITH THE PASSING OF DONALD
PAYNE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE ONE OTHER LOSS.
BECAUSE FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD WHO NEVER KNEW
DON PAYNE, THEY LOST A HERO.
. DON KNEW THAT ALMOST A
BILLION OF THE WORLD'S POOREST
PEOPLE LACKED ACCESS TO CLEAN
DRINKING WATER, THAT ALMOST
THREE TIMES THAT NUMBER LACKED
ACCESS TO SANITATION, RESULTING
IN THE DEATH EVERY 15 SECONDS OF
A CHILD NEEDLESSLY TO WEAR-BORNE
DISEASE.
ONE OF THE GREAT PRIVILEGES OF
MY CAREER IN THE HOUSE WAS
WORKING WITH DON PAYNE ON THE
PAUL SIMON WATER FOR THE POOR
ACT.
DON PAYNE WAS A QUIET MEMBER OF
CONGRESS, BUT HE KNEW WHAT WAS
IMPORTANT.
HE WAS CLEAR IN EXPRESSING THOSE
NEEDS, EXPRESSING WHAT NEEDED TO
BE DONE.
AND HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS WORK
BEHIND THE SCENES AS WELL AS ON
THE FRONT LINES MADE IT POSSIBLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR
HISTORY TO HAVE THE UNITED
STATES HAVE A COHESIVE POLICY
TOWARDS MEETING THE UNMET NEEDS
OF WATER AND SANITATION FOR
THESE POOR PEOPLE.
TO SET A VERY CLEAR OBJECTIVE
THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS,
WE WOULD CUT IN HALF THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE WHO LACK ACCESS TO
THIS FUNDAMENTAL.
BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF
CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE,
LITERALLY MILLIONS OF LIVES HAVE
BEEN TOUCHED, IMPROVED, INDEED,
SAVED.
WE THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN PAYNE,
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
INFLUENCE THAT EXTENDED FAR
BEYOND YOUR DISTRICT IN NEW
JERSEY AND WE THANK HIS FAMILY
AND CONSTITUENTS FOR SHARING HIM
WITH US AND SENDING HIM BACK
REPEATEDLY SO HE COULD DO HIS
IMPORTANT WORK.
THANK YOU, AND I YIELD BACK.
I NOW WOULD LIKE TO
YIELD TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM
GEORGIA, CONGRESSMAN SCOTT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
MS. LEE.
THIS IS, INDEED, A VERY SAD AND
AT THE SAME TIME A VERY PRECIOUS
TIME, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TO TALK
.
ABOUT A LIFE, A LIFE SO PRECIOUS
DONALD PAYNE WAS INDEED A VERY
HUMAN BEING.
I SERVED WITH DONALD PAYNE ON
THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
AND THROUGH HIS WORK ON THE
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I GOT
TO KNOW HIM.
AND LET ME JUST SAY TO THE
PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY, TO HIS
FAMILY, YOU'VE LOST A FRIEND,
YOU'VE LOST A FATHER, A PUBLIC
SERVANT FOR THE AREA OF NEWARK,
NEW JERSEY.
BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
DONALD PAYNE'S LIFE AND HIS
LEGACY GOES FAR BEYOND THERE.
THERE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE WHO
SAID, I DON'T WANT TO HANG
AROUND THE SHORES WITH THE
LITTLE BOATS.
I WANT TO GO WAY OUT WHERE THE
BIG SHIPS GO.
DONALD PAYNE WENT WAY OUT WHERE
THE BIG SHIPS GO.
WAS HIS IMPACT MORE
MEANINGFUL THAN IN THE CONTINENT
OF AFRICA.
IT WAS AFRICA THAT JUST PULLED
HIS HEART, PULLED HIS WHOLE
BEING.
AND DONALD PAYNE BECAME THE
CHAMPION AND THE FOREMOST
ADVOCATE FOR THE PEOPLE OF
AFRICA AND THE CONGRESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.
WHAT COURAGE.
I REMEMBER THE TIME I WAS OVER
IN AFRICA GOING TO THE CONGO,
GOING TO THE REAL HEART OF THE
MATTER, GOING INTO KENYA, AND
GOING INTO SOMALIA, INTO YEMEN
AND THERE WAS DONALD PAYNE WITH
THE COURAGE AT A VERY DIFFICULT
TIME, AT A CHALLENGING TIME WHEN
AL SHABAB WAS IN CONTROL OF THE
SITUATION IN SOMALIA AND YOU
HEAR IN THE NEWS THAT THERE WAS
A CONGRESSMAN WHO IN HARM'S WAY
TRYING TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE IN
SOMALIA IN A VERY HOT MOMENT,
BUT HE WAS THERE IN THE
TOUGHEST, MEANEST, MOST
DIFFICULT PART OF AFRICA.
SO ALL OVER THIS WORLD WE CAN
ALL SAY WE THANK GOD FOR SENDING
DONALD PAYNE OUR WAY.
THE
GENTLELADY'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MAY WE REQUEST AN
ADDITIONAL 10 MINUTES?
THE
CHAIR CANNOT ENTERTAIN THAT
REQUEST.
CAN WE DO ONE-MINUTES?
FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM NEW YORK -- WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MEEK MEEK I'M HERE TO --
I'M HERE TO THANK GOD
FOR THE LIFE OF DONALD PAYNE, A
MAN WHO WAS FOCUSED, A MAN WHO
WAS A TRAILBLAZER, A MAN WHO
WHEN HE CAME TO CONGRESS, HE
KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO DO,
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR
PURPOSE IS IN LIFE.
SOME PEOPLE WONDER ALL OF THEIR
LIFE TO FIND THAT PURPOSE.
DONALD PAYNE KNEW WHAT HIS
PURPOSE WAS.
HE FOUGHT AND WAS DETERMINED TO
GET TO THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SO HE COULD MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN SO MANY LIVES.
AND ONCE HE CAME HERE, HE NEVER
CHANGED HIS FOCUS, HE NEVER
CHANGED HIS PURPOSE.
HE KNEW THAT HE WANTED TO DEAL
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCALE.
HE KNEW HE WANTED TO TAKE CARE
OF THE PEOPLE OF NEWARK AND HE
KNEW HE WAS FOCUSED ON
EDUCATION.
AND SO WHEN HE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON
APPROPRIATIONS, THE POWERFUL
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, HE WAS
SO FOCUSED ON WHAT HIS MISSION
WAS.
HE SAID NO TO APPROPRIATIONS AND
STAYED ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
STAYED ON EDUCATION BECAUSE THAT
IS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.
HE PAVED THE WAY FOR SOMEONE
LIKE ME THAT WHEN I CAME TO THE
CONGRESS, I LOOKED TO HIM.
IT WASN'T POPULAR TO BE ON
FOREIGN AFFAIRS WHEN DONALD
CAME.
DONALD DID WHAT HE KNEW HIS
PURPOSE WAS.
AND SO, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU,
DONALD PAYNE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR
MISSION IN PAVING THE WAY FOR
WHO DOESN'T
HAVE TO HAVE A MACHETTE TO CUT
AWAY THE GRASS.
THANK YOU STAFF AND GOD FOR
SENDING US DONALD PAYNE.
JOB WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND
FAITHFUL SON.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEWOMAN FROM RISE?
WITHOUT OBJECTION.
I THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUE
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE
FOR THIS COURTESY.
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST AND -- FIRST
TIME I MET DONALD PAYNE, FIRST
TERM, EDUCATION AND WORK FORCE
COMMITTEE AND WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THE INEQUITYIES IN COLLEGE
FUNDING FOR MINORITIES AND
TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL BLACK
COLLEGES AND I SAID ABOUT THE
TRIBAL COLLEGES AND MR. PAYNE WE
NEVER FORGET THE TRIBAL
COLLEGES AND HE NEVER DID AND I
THANK HIM FOR THAT.
THE LAST TIME AND CONGRESSWOMAN
WOOLSEY IS SAYING WITH ME, WE
HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF KEEPING HIM
WARM THAT NIGHT.
WITH THAT, HERE ARE MY REMARKS.
TODAY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE LOST A STATESMAN AND
DEDICATED LEADER AT HOME AND
AROUND THE WORLD.
IT WAS MY HONOR TO SERVE WITH
DONALD PAYNE ON THE AFRICAN
SUBCOMMITTEE AND THE EDUCATION
AND WORK FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE.
I WILL REMEMBER HIM AS A FRIEND
AND GENTLEMAN AND KIND FRIEND
WHO SPOKE WITH AUTHORITY AND
LEGISLATED FOR THOSE.
MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO HIS
STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS AND TO
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I YIELD BACK.
FOR
WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE GENTLEMAN
FROM GEORGIA RISE?
REQUEST PERMISSION TO ADDRESS
THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MADAM SPEAKER, ALL THE WORLD
IS A STAGE AND ALL THE MEN AND
WOMEN ARE PLAYER.
EACH HAS THEIR ENTRANCE AND
EXIT.
ONE MAN MAY PLAY MANY PARTS.
SO IT IS WITH DONALD PAPE.
HE WAS A SON, BROTHER, HUSBAND,
FATHER, A GRANDFATHER, A GREAT
GRANDFATHER, A TEACHER, COACH,
MENTOR, LEADER.
HE LED THE C.B.C. AND
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
FOUNDATION AND HE WAS A FRIEND.
HE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
LEGISLATOR.
HE REPRESENTED THE PEOPLE OF
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY VERY WELL.
BUT ONE THING I
LEARNED ABOUT DONALD FROM
PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WAS THAT
HE WAS TRULY A FAMILY MAN.
HE LOVED HIS FAMILY.
HE SPOKE WITH LOVE ABOUT THE
SACRIFICES HE MADE UPON THE
UNTIMELY DEATH OF HIS WIFE AND
HOW HE HAD YOUNG CHILDREN AND HE
WAS DEMMED HE WAS GOING TO TAKE
CARE OF THOSE CHILDREN TO
HIMSELF AND NOT FARM THEM OUT TO
OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, DID THE
P.T.A. AND THE HAIR, ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT HIS CHILDREN WOULD
HAVE A GOOD LIFE.
IT SEEMS DONALD'S EARLY LIFE WAS
DIFFICULT AND HE WAS DETERMINED
THAT HIS CHILDREN WOULD NOT HAVE
THE DIFFICULTIES THAT HE HAD.
DONALD'S A GREAT MAN.
WE HAVE LOST HIM.
THE FAMILY HAS LOST A GREAT MAN.
WE FEEL YOUR PAIN, BUT THE JOY
WE SHARE BECAUSE WE KNEW HIM
WILL SUSTAIN US BECAUSE WE WERE
BLESSED TO KNOW, LOVE AND BE A
PART AND SHARE THE LIFE AS YOU
DID WITH THIS GREAT, GREAT MAN.
HE WAS A FRIEND AND WE'LL MISS
HIM AND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
ARE WITH YOU.
THE
GENTLEMAN'S TIME HAS EXPIRED.
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S ANNOUNCED
POLICY OF JANUARY 5, 2011, THE
CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA,
MR. JONES FOR 30 MINUTES.
MADAM SPEAKER, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
MADAM SPEAKER, I WAS ELECTED IN
199 , SHORTLY AFTER BEING SWORN
IN.
I WAS APPOINTED TO THE ARMED
SERVICES COMMITTEE.
MY DISTRICT IN EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA, CAMP LEGEUNE AND AT
THE TIME I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE
MARINE CORPS' DESIRE AND NEED TO
HAVE THE MV-22 OSPRI, THE PLANE
THAT CAN GO FROM HELICOPTER MODE
TO A PLANE MODE AND I REALIZED
IT WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
IN FACT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
*** CHENEY WAS OPPOSED TO THE
PLANE EVER BECOMING A REALITY
AND AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, I
WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
I WAS A NEW MEMBER AND I WAS
VERY MUCH SUPPORTIVE.
I'M GOING TO HOLD UP FOR A
MOMENT.
LOOKS LIKE.
IT WAS THE PLANE I WAS JUST
DESCRIBING.
IT HAS THE -- UNUSUAL LOOKING
BIRD, BUT THE MARINE CORPS
BELIEVES IT IS WHAT THEY
DEFINITELY NEED TO COMPLETE
THEIR MISSION OF SERVING THIS
GREAT NATION.
WELL, ON APRIL 8 OF 2000, A
TRAGEDY HAPPENED IN ARIZONA.
COLONEL JOHN BRELL AND HE IS TO
MY LEFT, WAS THE PILOT AND
CO-PILOT, AND, AND THAT NIGHT,
19 MARINES ON A MISSION IN
ARIZONA, IT WAS BEING PILOTTED
BY THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT, IT
FLIPPED AND CRASHED AND BURNED
WERE KILLED.
VERY TRAGIC HAPPENING, VERY
TRAGIC NIGHT.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE WIFE OF THE
PILOT CONTACTED ME AND ASKED ME
IF I WOULD PLEASE LOOK INTO THE
FACT THAT THE MARINE CORPS HAD
ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE AND I'M
GOING TO TOUCH ON THIS VERY
BRIEFLY.
MARINE CORPS SAYS MULTITUDE OF
FACTORS CAUSED THE OSPREY
ACCIDENT.
A COMBINATION OF HUMAN FACTORS
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM, THE
WORD, HUMAN FACTORS, CAUSED THE
APRIL 8 ACCIDENT.
GENERAL JONES' QUOTE,
UNFORTUNATELY THE PILOT' DRIVE
TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION
APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE FACTOR.
AGAIN FROM MARINE HEADQUARTERS,
THEY SENT OUT THE PRESS RELEASE
NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY,
THEREFORE PEOPLE STARTED
BELIEVING THAT THE TWO PILOTS
THE ACCIDENT.
WERE SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE FOR
ABOUT A YEAR LATER IS WHEN
CONNIE GRUBER CONTACTED ME AND I
WOULD LIKE TO READ PART OF HER
EMAIL TO ME.
DECEMBER 10, 2002.
I CONTACT YOU THAT LEADERS WOULD
HAVE BOTH THE INTELLIGENCE AND
COURAGE IT TAKES TO DECIDE THE
FACTS FOR HIM OR HERSELF.
IF YOU DO THAT'S CORRECT YOU
WILL AGREE THE HUMAN
FACTOR/PILOT ERROR FINDINGS
HISTORY.
SHOULD NOT STAND IN ITS MILITARY
SHE FURTHER STATED IN HER EMAIL,
AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND DO NOT PASS
THIS MATTER ALONG TO GENERAL
JONES WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY
HUSBAND AND HIS COMRADES
DESERVES.
THESE 19 MARINES CAN NO LONGER
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
SPEAKER, THAT EMAIL
STARTED A 10-YEAR JOURNEY AND
FROM THAT JOURNEY, I CONTINUE TO
REACH OUT TO EXPERTS, WHICH I'M
NO EXPERT, MADAM SPEAKER, AT
ALL, BUT I HAD TO BELIEVE THE
WIFE OF THE PILOT, THAT SHE AND
THE WIFE OF THE PILOT, THAT THEY
TOLD ME THAT THEIR HUSBANDS
DESERVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO
.
REST IN PEACE.
I'D LIKE TO READ SOME COMMENTS,
I WAS WROTE, THE EFFORT IN
TRYING TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF
JOHN AND BRUCE, I WRITE IN AN
ATTEMPT TO CORRECT A GREAT
UNJITH JUSTICE -- INJUSTICE
PERPETRATED ON THE LUNALT
COLONEL AND THE MAJOR --
LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND THE
THE CAUSE OF THE MV-22
MISHAP IN ARIZONA ON APRIL 8,
2000, TO THE AIRCRAFT CREW.
HE FURTHER STATED AI WANT TO TO
BE STATED IN THE RECORD, I WAS
THE PRINCIPLE ANALYST FOR THE
B-22 AS A RESEARCH STAFF MEMBER
AT THE INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE
ANALYSIS.
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR OF
OPERATIONAL TESTS AND
EVALUATION.
MADAM SPEAKER, ANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL WHO'S AN EXPERT THAT
JOINED US IN THIS EFFORT TO
CLEAR THE NAMES OF JOHN BROWN
AND MR. GRUBER IS PHIL AND I
WANT TO QUOTE WHAT HE PUT IN AN
EMAIL TO ME ON NOVEMBER 8 OF THE
YEAR 2000.
MAJOR GRUBER SHOULD NOT BE
BLAMED FOR FLYING HIS AIRCRAFT
ON A FLIGHT PATH THAT HE WAS
TRAINED -- WAS NOT TRAINED TO
FLY AND EXPECTED TO FLY.
THE MARINE CORPS KNOWS TODAY
THAT FLIGHT PATH WAS LETHAL BUT
THEY DID NOT KNOW IT THEN AND
NEITHER DID MAJOR GRUBER.
CONSIDERING IT WAS IGNORANCE ON
THE PART OF THE MARINE CORPS
THAT CAUSED THE APRIL 8, 2000,
ACCIDENT, THE MARINE CORPS
SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR TO MAJOR
GRUBER'S FAMILY WITH NO I HAVES,
ANDS OR BUTS THAT MAJOR GRUBER
ACCIDENT.
WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
MADAM SPEAKER, I CONTINUE TO GO
ON BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A
10-YEAR EFFORT FOR THE FAMILIES
OF JOHN BROWN AND MR. GRUBER.
MADAM SPEAKER, THE MARINE CORPS
SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT
ASSIGNED THREE MARINES, THE DAY
AFTER THE ACCIDENT, ON APRIL 8,
TO FLY TO ARIZONA AND TO DO THE
ONLY INVESTIGATION FOR THE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
AT THE TIME COLONEL MIKE MORGAN
WAS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR
ASSISTED BY COLONEL RYAN RADISH
AND ALSO MAJOR PHIL STACKHOUSE.
IN THE REPORT THAT WAS THE
OFFICIAL REPORT FOR THE MARINE
CORPS OF THE ACCIDENT, ON PAGE
77, THEY STATED, AND I QUOTE,
DURING THIS INVESTIGATION WE
FOUND NOTHING THAT WE WOULD
NEGLIGENCE
DELIVERED PILOT ERA OR
MAINTENANCE/MATERIAL FAILURE.
MADAM SPEAKER, IN THIS 10-YEAR
JOURNEY TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF
TWO OF THESE TWO MARINE PILOTS,
I REACHED OUT TO THE ATTORNEYS.
JOHN BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER,
THEIR FAMILIES EMPLOYED JIM
FURMAN, AN ATTORNEY IN TEXAS,
WHO HIMSELF WAS A HELICOPTER
PILOT IN VIETNAM.
HE'S AN OUTSTANDING ATTORNEY AND
HE DEFENDED THE TWO PILOTS WHEN
THEY WENT AND FILED SUIT AGAINST
BILL BOEING.
IN A LETTER ON APRIL 28, 2010,
FROM JIM FURMAN TO ME IN THIS
EFFORT TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF
JOHN BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER, HE
WROTE, AND I QUOTE, IT WAS NOT
THE MISSION OF THE OPERATION
EVALUATION CREW TO DISCOVER THE
NEW BOUNDARIES AND LIMITATIONS
V-22.
ENGINEERING, EXCUSE ME, TEST
PILOTS ON THE APPROPRIATE TEST
CONDITIONS SHOULD HAVE DONE
THIS.
IT IS SIMPLY WRONG AND IMPROPER
TO PLACE THIS BURDEN ON GRUBER
AND BROW.
THEY DID THE BEST JOB THEY COULD
HAVE DONE UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
HE FURTHER STATED, PRIOR TO THE
MARCH, 2010, CRASH, THIS WAS A
SEPARATE CRASH, MADAM SPEAKER,
THE NAVY ALREADY HAD REPORTS OF
STRANGE AEROMETRIC RESPONSES IN
THE AIRCRAFT.
THESE EVENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN
COMPLETELY INVESTIGATED BEFORE
ANY MORE OPERATIONAL TESTING
CONTINUED.
MADAM SPEAKER, I HAVE OVER SEVEN
OR -- 78 EMAILS THAT ARE TWO AND
THREE PAGES FROM JIM FURMAN IN
HIS EFFORT TO HELP US CLEAR THE
GRUBER.
NAMES OF JOHN BROW AND BROOKS
FOR THE ATTORNEY FOR THE 17
MARINE FAMILIES WHO WERE IN THE
V-22 THAT CRASHED AND THESE
YOUNG MEN WERE KILLED IN THAT
CRASH, BRIAN ALEXANDER, DEFENDED
THE 17 FAMILIES.
AND HE WROTE ME, AND I READ FOR
CONGRESSMAN JONES FOR CONTACTING
THE RECORD, PLEASE THANK
ME AND ASSURING HIM THAT I STAND
BY READY TO ASSIST HIM IN ANY
WAY THAT I CAN.
AS A FORMER ARMY AVIATOR AND
LAWYER WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
REPRESENTING THE MARINES WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE CRASH, I
APPLAUD THE CONGRESSMAN'S EFFORT
TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF PILOTS
GRUBER AND BROW FROM ANY AND ALL
BLAME FOR THIS SENSELESS
TRAGEDY.
MADAM SPEAKER, HE FURTHER
STATED, DUE TO THESE UNDISPUTED
REASONS, THE PILOTS ARE NOT TO
BLAME AND SHOULD BE FULLY
EXONERATED.
AGAIN, THE TWO ATTORNEYS, JIM
FURMAN IN TEXAS AND BRIAN
ALEXANDER IN NEW YORK, THEY
DEFENDED THE FAMILIES IN THE
LAWSUIT THAT WAS SETTLED OUT OF
COURT BY BILIRAKIS BOEING --
BILL BOEING.
MADAM SPEAKER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE
TO SHARE WITH THE -- FOR THE
RECORD, YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, IF
LAWSUITS ARE OVER, THEN WHY
WON'T THE MARINE CORPS GIVE THE
FAMILIES WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING
FOR, IS A CLEAR EXONERATION OF
JOHN BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER?
MIAMI, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT --
MADAM SPEAKER, I CANNOT ANSWER
THAT.
BUT RECENTLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS
AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
MEETING WITH GENERAL RUTTER WHO
WAS REPRESENTING THE COMMANDANT
AND HE WAS ASKING, WHAT WOULD
THE WIVES BRING THIS TO A -- AN
END, SO TO SPEAK?
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN REPLACE
THE HUSBANDS AND THE 17 MA RINSE
WHO WERE BURNED TO DEATH.
SO THE WIVES GAVE ME A PARAGRAPH
RIB CORPS TO ISSUE THEM TO --
THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THE MA
MARINE CORPS TO ISSUE FOR THEM
ON MARINE CORPS STATIONARY AND
ALSO A PRESS RELEASE, MADAM
SPEAKER, AND IT STATES, AND I
READ, THE UNITED STATES MARINE
CORPS CONCURS THAT PILOTS
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN BROW AND
MAJOR BROOKS GRUBER WERE NOT AT
FAULT FOR THE APRIL 8, 2000,
OSPREY ACCIDENT.
THE ORIGINAL ACCIDENT REPORT
OFFICIALLY INCLUDE THE
STATEMENT OF FACT.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT
WILL BE FORMALLY PRESENTED TO
THE GRUBER AND BROW FAMILIES AS
WRITTEN EVIDENCE TO THIS FACT.
A PRESS RELEASE AND FORMAL
STATEMENT WILL ALSO BE PUBLICLY
ISSUED BY MARINE OFFICIALS.
MADAM SPEAKER, I DON'T KNOW WHY
THE MARINE CORPS HAS NOT BEEN
WILLING TO GIVE THE FAMILIES
THIS CLOSURE THAT THAT'S THEY'VE
ASKED FOR.
I JUST TOUCHED ON A FEW OF THE
LETTERS OF MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE
SO FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM AND
THE V-22 IN THE EARLY STAGES
THAT HAVE JOINED IN THIS EFFORT,
THAT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY
THE MARINE CORPS WILL NOT GIVE
THE FAMILIES THIS ONE PARAGRAPH.
MADAM SPEAKER, I WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK AND TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE
THAT'S THE LEAST THAT THE MARINE
CORPS CAN DO FOR THESE FAMILIES.
THAT I REACHED
OUT TO THE INVESTIGATORS, MAJOR
MORGAN, MAJOR RADISH, AND
COLONEL MORGAN AND COLONEL
RADISH AND MAJOR STACKHOUSE AND,
MADAM SPEAKER, THEY IN JULY AND
AUGUST OF THIS YEAR SENT ME
TWO-PAGED LETTERS FROM EACH ONE
OF THEM STATING CLEARLY THAT IF
THERE'S ANYTHING IN THE REPORT
THAT HAS BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD,
THAT THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS
PILOT ERROR, TO PLEASE HAVE IT
RECANTED BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT
THEY WROTE IN THE REPORT.
MADAM SPEAKER, I HAVE A COPY OF
THE REPORT.
I HAVE READ FROM ONE PAGE WHAT
THEY SAID ABOUT THE PILOTS, ON
PAGE 77.
THAT NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE
PILOTS IN A DELIBERATE WAY TO
CAUSE THE ACCIDENTS.
MADAM SPEAKER, I'D LIKE TO READ
NOW JUST A COUPLE OF SENTENCES
FROM LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIKE
MORGAN'S LETTER BACK TO ME.
HERE AGAIN WAS THE LEAD
INVESTIGATOR THAT WROTE THE
REPORT AND HE SAID, AND I QUOTE,
JOHN BROW AND BROOKS GRUBER
PERFORMED AS MODEL WINGMEN ON
THIS MISSION.
THEY WERE DOING EXACTLY WHAT IS
EXPECTED OF A WINGMAN ON A
TACTICAL FLIGHT.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MORGAN
FURTHER STATED, JOHN BROW AND
BROOKS GRUBER DID THEIR JOB AND
DID IT WELL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN
D.O.D. OFFICIALS ACCURATELY
RECOGNIZE THE SACRIFICE MADE BY
THEM AND ALL OF THE MARINES OF
NIGHT HAWK 72.
FROM LIEUTENANT COLONEL RYAN
RADISH, HE WAS THE ASSISTANT
INVESTIGATOR, AND I QUOTE, IT
WOULD BE MORALLY WRONG TO PLACE
THE BLAME ON THE PILOTS OF NIGHT
HAWK 72.
PRIOR TO THE MISHAP, CONTROL
MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE RISK OF
VORTEX RESTATE WERE DEFICIENT,
WITH NO KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING OR
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCE --
WARNING CONSIDER CONCERNING THE
CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE
CONSEQUENCES OF VORTEX RESTATE,
OF NIGHT HAWK 72 WERE
ESSENTIALLY ON THEIR OWN
UNCHARTED TERRITORY.
MADAM SPEAKER, WHAT COLONEL
RADISH IS SAYING IS THAT THEY
WERE PUT INTO THE COCKPIT FLYING
THIS PLANE WITH 19 MARINES,
COUNTING BOTH PILOTS, ON THIS
PLANE, AND THEY HAD NO IDEA OF
HOW TO REACT TO THE CONDITION
KNOWN AS VORTEX RESTATE, V.R.S.
THEY HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED.
THE PLANE WAS NOT EVEN PREPARED
TO WARN THEM OF SUCH A
HAPPENING.
AND THE THIRD INVESTIGATOR,
MADAM SPEAKER, WAS CAPTAIN PHIL
STACKHOUSE, AND HE SAID, I DO
NOT FEEL THAT OUR INVESTIGATION
REFLECTS THAT THE MISHAP WAS A
RESULT OF PILOT ERROR AND IF
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS
INTERPRETED THAT WAY IT WAS
MISINTERPRETED.
FOR ANY RECORD THAT REFLECTS THE
MISHAP WAS A RESULT OF PILOT
ERROR, IT SHOULD BE REFLECTED.
FOR ANY PUBLICATION THAT
REFLECTS THE MISHAP WAS A RESULT
CAN'TED.
OF PILOT ERROR, IT SHOULD BE RE
SPEAKER, THERE CANNOT BE
.
STRONGER SUPPORT FOR THIS CHANGE
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MARINE
CORPS WOULD ISSUE A STATEMENT TO
THE FAMILIES AND ALSO ISSUED TO
THE FAMILIES A PARAGRAPH THAT
WOULD CLEARLY STATE THAT THEIR
HUSBANDS WERE NOT AT FAULT.
MADAM SPEAKER, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT
SAY, WELL, CONGRESSMAN, WHY HAVE
YOU SPENT 10 YEARS TRYING TO
CLEAR THE NAMES OF TWO PILOTS
THAT YOU NEVER KNEW?
WELL, THE WIFE OF MAJOR BROOKS
GRUBER, SHE DOES LIVE IN
JACKSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
AND SHE AND HER LITTLE GIRL
BROOK DESERVE TO HAVE THIS
PARAGRAPH FOR THE FUTURE OF
THEIR FAMILY, TO CLEARLY STATE
THAT THE PILOTS WERE NOT AT
FAULT.
CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND.
TRISH BROW LIVES OVER IN
JOHN BROW WAS HER HUSBAND.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE WITH ONE OF
THEIR SONS, MICHAEL, WHO WAS IN
MY OFFICE A YEAR AGO IN MARCH.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT OUR
STRATEGY TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF
THESE TWO MARINE PILOTS AND I
NEVER WILL FORGET, MADAM
SPEAKER, THAT MICHAEL LEANED UP
AFTER WE TALKED, ABOUT FIVE
ADULTS INCLUDING HIS MOM IN
THERE, AND HE LEANED UP AND HE
SAID, MAY I SAY SOMETHING?
WE ALL SAID, CERTAINLY YOU CAN.
WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
AND HE SAID, WILL YOU PLEASE LET
ME CLEAR MY FATHER'S NAME?
MADAM SPEAKER, THE BALL IS IN
THE MARINE CORPS' COURT.
ALL THE EVIDENCE AND ALL THE
EXPERTS HAVE JOINED IN THIS
EFFORT TO CLEAR THE NAMES OF THE
TWO PILOTS.
AND I I THINK IF THERE'S ANYONE
THAT CAN SEE THE FACES OF THE
TWO MARINE PILOTS RIGHT
IMMEDIATELY CLOSE TO ME IS
COLONEL JOHN BROW, PILOT.
AND TO -- BESIDE HIM IS MAJOR
BROOKS GRUBER WHO WAS A
CO-PILOT.
AND I THINK ABOUT WHAT I'VE SAID
TO THE SONS AND
DAUGHTERS.
IT'S TIME THAT THE MARINE CORPS
ABSOLUTE COLONEL JOHN BROW --
SALUTE COLONEL JOHN BROW AND
MAJOR BROOKS GRUBER AND SAY,
COLONEL AND MAJOR, YOU MAY REST
IN PEACE.
DON'T EVER WORRY ABOUT YOUR NAME
AGAIN.
AND WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN
AS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS
THAT YOU, TOO, PILOT AND
CO-PILOT, WERE NOT AT FAULT FOR
THAT TRAGEDY ON APRIL 8 OF 2000.
AND, MADAM SPEAKER, JUST A
COUPLE MORE MINUTES AND I WILL
BRING MY COMMENTS TO A CLOSE, I
HAD SOMEONE TO SENT IN -- SEND
TO ME A QUOTE BY VOLUNTARY THAT
SAYS -- VOLTAIRE THAT SAYS, TO
THE LIVING WE OWE RESPECT.
TO THE DEAD WE OWE THE TRUTH.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE ON
THE FLOOR TO TONIGHT, TO SHARE
JUST A FEW COMMENTS BY THE
EXPERT, NOT BY ME.
I AM NO EXPERT.
I'M JUST A ONE MAN THAT BELIEVES
WHAT THE WIFE SAID, CONNIE
GRUBER.
MY HUSBAND AND JOHN BROW CANNOT
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK FOR THESE
TWO MEN, TO CLEAR THEIR NAMES.
THE LAWSUITS ARE OVER.
THEY WERE SETTLED OUT OF COURT.
IT WAS A CLOSED SETTLEMENT.
NOBODY KNOWS THE FIGURES EXCEPT
THE FAMILIES.
I HAVE NO IDEA.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THE FIGURES SO
BUT I KNOW ONE THING.
WHEN A FIRM AS LARGE AS BILL
BOEING, WHO MANUFACTURED THE
B-22, WHEN THEY SETTLE OUT OF
COURT THEN THEY MUST FEEL SOME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT.
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT SOON THE
MARINE CORPS WILL CLOSE THE
CHAPTER ON THE TRAGEDY IN THE
LIFE OF TRISH BROW AND CONNIE
GRUBER.
THE REASON THEY WANT THE LETTER,
MADAM SPEAKER, IS SO THAT THEIR
CHILDREN, 10, 15, 20 YEARS FROM
NOW, WHENEVER THERE'S ANOTHER
ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOUT THE V-22
CRASH IN ARIZONA IN THE YEAR
2000 AND THEY MISSTATE THAT THIS
WAS PILOT ERROR, THAT THE
FAMILIES WILL HAVE AN OFFICIAL
LETTER FROM THE COMMANDANT OF
THE MARINE CORPS THAT WILL
CLEARLY STATE THAT JOHN BROW AND
BROOKS GRUBER WERE NOT AT FAULT.
. I'M GOING TO CLOSE IN TWO
MINUTES AND I AM GOING TO CALL
ON THE UNITED STATES MARINE
CORPS AND GIVE THE FAMILIES WHAT
THEY'RE ASKING.
THE THREE INVESTIGATORS, AS I
SAID EARLIER, HAVE JOINED IN
THIS.
JIM SCHAFFER, WHO WAS A -- IN
THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME OF THIS
CRASH, FLYING A B-22, HE WAS A
CO-PILOT.
FRIEND OF THE PILOT AND
HE HAS JOINED IN THIS EFFORT.
AND HE BELIEVES ON THE
CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME THAT
THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO SAY
THAT THE TWO PILOTS WERE NOT AT
FAULT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STAYING
A LITTLE BIT LATER FOR GIVING ME
THIS TIME.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THE FULL
30 MINUTES.
LOT MORE THAT I CAN SAY, BUTIVE
-- BUT I'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE
TWO PILOTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
UNTIL WE GET THE LETTER FROM THE
COMMAPPEDDANT THAT CLEARLY
STATES THAT LIEUTENANT COLONEL
JOHN DRAW WERE NOT AT FAULT FOR
THE CRASH THAT HAPPENED IN AND I
ASK GOD TO PLEASE BLESS THE
FAMILIES OF THESE TWO PILOTS AND
THE FAMILIES OF THE 17 MARINES
WHO WERE IN THE BACK OF THE
B-22, TO BLESS THOSE FAMILIES AS
WELL.
AND I WILL ASK GOD TO PLEASE
THE UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS SO THAT
PEACE.
THESE TWO MARINES CAN REST IN
AND MADAM SPEAKER, WITH THAT, I
YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY
TIME.
THE
GENTLEMAN YIELDS BACK THE
BALANCE OF HIS TIME.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE
GENTLEMAN FROM --
I MAKE A MOTION THAT
WE ADJOURN FOR THE NIGHT.
THE
QUESTION IS ON THE MOTION TO
ADJOURN.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHAIR, THE
AYES HAVE IT, THE MOTION IS
AGREED TO.
ACCORDINGLY, PURSUANT TO HOUSE
RESOLUTION 571, THE HOUSE STANDS
ADJOURNED UNTIL 10:00 A.M.
TOMORROW FOR MORNING DEBATE AS A
FURTHER MARK OF RESPECT TO THE