Recognizing and honoring Jack Valenti and expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to his family on his death.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in proud support of H. Res. 361, as offered by my distinguished colleague from California and chair of the Congressional Entertainment Caucus, Congresswoman Diane Watson. This resolution recognizes and honors the life and lifetime accomplishments of Jack Valenti, while also expressing condolences of the House of Representatives to his family on his death. Having served as a long-

time president of the Motion Picture Association of America, Jack Valenti deserves no better tribute than that of being honored by members of the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, Jack Valenti began his political career during the era of the ``Great Society.'' He briefly served as the first special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson during his tenure in the White House. However, he resigned from the White House commission In 1966, when he respectfully earned the position as President of the Motion Picture Association of America. Nevertheless, public admiration of this prominent young man followed him from his tenure in politics, unto his career in the film industry and thereafter.

Jack Valenti was born in Houston, Texas on September 5, 1921. During the era of World War II, Mr. Valenti served as a lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps, flying 51 combat missions as the pilot- commander of a B-25 attack bomber. It was also at this time that he received four decorations--the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with four clusters, the Distinguished Unit Citation with one cluster, as well as the European Theater Ribbon with four battle stars.

His educational attainments are marked with his graduation from high school at the age of 15, the youngest high school graduate in his city. He took several years hiatus to work in the field of oil and gas, as well as to serve his Nation as a pilot in the Army Air Corps. He later went on to earn a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Houston, where he worked full-time during the day and attended undergraduate courses at night. He continued to advance his education by obtaining a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard University. In 1952, Valenti assisted in the co-founding of an advertising/political consulting agency. It was this agency that led the press during President John F. Kennedy and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson's Dallas, Texas visit in 1963.

Valenti's legacy is prevalent through his invention of the movie/film rating, which is still used today. Such a vision and innovation not only transformed the movie industry, but also provided guidance for families, protection for children moviegoers and their parents, as well as safeguard for our filmmakers.

Mr. Speaker, among many things, it will be the vision and character of Mr. Jack Valenti that will greatly be missed. Rarely are we given the opportunities to recognize and honor the lifetime accomplishments of our American heroes, as well have today. For this reason, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in honoring the life and lifetime accomplishments of the late Jack Valenti. We who knew and loved him will always remember him as a gentleman, a man with boundless energy, a leader in our Nation, a wartime hero, a proud father and a loving husband, a political consultant, and a movie industry powerhouse. He was one in a million and will greatly be missed.

Today, I ask that we join in recognizing Valenti as one of the greatest contributors to the motion picture industry and honoring him for his service, accomplishments, and contributions to our Nation. I also ask that we extend our deepest condolences to his family--wife, Margaret, and children, Alexandra, John and Courtenay.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from D.C. and look forward to the time that she will be a full Member of this Chamber, with all the rights and privileges.

Much as been said about the life of Jack Valenti, and rightfully so. It is impossible to sum up his great life and achievements in the short time we have today.

He held powerful influence on both coasts in the United States, in Washington, D.C., where he served as a political adviser to President Johnson, and in Hollywood, where he served as chief lobbyist of the Motion Picture Association of America. Valenti negotiated both power centers with dignity, determination and deference.

He was born to Houston, Texas, as was pointed out, the grandson of Sicilian immigrants. He excelled in school and finished high school at an early age. Unable to afford college, he worked for a short time in a movie theater, then at an oil company, until he could afford night classes at the University of Houston. His leadership skills, solidified at college, and he was elected student body president. From there, he went on to earn his MBA from Harvard University.

His interest in politics began during a chance meeting with President Johnson, who was looking to reach out to fellow Texans while serving in the Senate. At the meeting, Jack Valenti was fascinated by Johnson and chose to work on his next campaign in Texas. They kept in touch, and he was soon employed by Johnson when he became Vice President.

Jack Valenti was inspired by the Vice President and viewed him as a mentor. Valenti was in the presidential motorcade as it traveled through downtown Dallas, Texas on that fateful tragic day of November 22, 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. He said later that that day changed his life forever. Indeed, he became President Johnson's special assistant, and even lived in the White House during the early months of the new President's term.

He left the White House when he was approached by two Hollywood studio executives to take over their fledgling trade group. With a pay raise almost impossible to turn down, he accepted the position and became the chief lobbyist for the Motion Picture Association of America in 1966.

He revitalized the film rating system, bringing it into line with current culture. It is a system which has remained intact, other than modifications Valenti also helped put in place for decades.

Through the years, movies and technologies changed and progressed, as did his work. He helped the industry thrive even as television and home videos chipped away its dominance. He fought digital piracy and other threats to the film industry.

Valenti left MPAA in 2004, but he remained active in the public stage. He concentrated on the world health issues such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. He helped devise the technology by which parents control what programs their children watch.

He continued this work almost until the day in April when he died. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, three children and two grandchildren. He also leaves behind a legacy of service of principled advocacy and of human warmth appreciated by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His character, his warm personality and his deep southern accent all will be missed as much his has legacy in the worlds of film and public policy.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleague in urging passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have lost a dear friend and national treasure with the passing of the legendary Jack Valenti, but, his legacy lives on. I know this is a tremendous loss for his family, friends, and many admirers, and I join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives in extending our deepest condolences to all those who loved him. We should all be grateful for the many wonderful memories we share of Jack, memories that cannot ease the pain of our loss but remind us of the amazing accomplishments of this remarkable man. I join with others in the House in expressing our sympathy to Jack's beloved wife of 45 years Mary Margaret Valenti, his three children John, Alexandra, and Courtenay Valenti, and his 2 grandchildren.

Born in 1921 as the grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Jack Valenti became part of the ``Greatest Generation'' of Americans who served our country in World War II; and he continued to serve our country long after the War. Jack fought tyranny and served the United States by piloting a B-25 attack bomber in the European theater, flying 51 missions, and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism and extraordinary achievement. Following the War, Jack made his home in Texas where he established a successful business in Dallas and became a close friend and ally of President Lyndon Johnson. The terrible events in Dallas on November 22, 1963 pulled Jack Valenti back into the service of our country when soon to be President Johnson asked him to return from Dallas to Washington DC to join his Administration where he served his close friend as confidant and key aide to the President. From the Johnson Administration, Jack Valenti was lured into the film industry as the head of the Motion Picture Association of America where he achieved great success as the preeminent trade representative in Washington, D.C. Among other achievements, Jack was the architect of the revolutionary movie rating system, which is essentially still intact today, providing generations of parents and filmgoers with guidelines on the content of films that carried the MPAA rating designation. Jack spoke often about the importance of open and free markets for Hollywood films, and was a passionate and staunch advocate for the protection of intellectual property rights in the digital age.

But, this is only a brief snapshot of what he did, it does not identify who he was. For Jack Valenti was much larger than any of his numerous accomplishments.

Jack was a dear friend to many, and a truly gifted and remarkable individual. Jack earned the respect of Presidents and porters; his common touch and old world style enticed people to gravitate to him. These attributes, teamed with his keen mind and ability to consider a different point of view, allowed Jack Valenti to gain the admiration and respect of people on both sides of the aisle and even on opposite sides of many Issues.

But for me, the most important thing to recall is the humanity and warmth he conveyed to everyone whose lives he touched. I was proud and privileged to call Jack my friend. He counseled me on issues we cared about, encouraged me to accept the challenges of this great institution, and comforted me during times of personal tragedy. I will be forever grateful for his friendship, guidance, and counsel.

Jack Valenti is truly the embodiment of the phrase, ``his like shall not soon be seen again.'' He was an original, he became a legend, and, he was ours.

He will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, even as a young child, Jack Valenti showed signs of great leadership and oratory skills. He was a debate champion at his high school. Making good use of his natural ability to persuade and his interest in entertainment, Jack worked as a movie theater usher before enrolling in the University of Houston. After receiving his B.A., he enlisted in the Army Air Force where he participated in 51 flying missions and was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross. Following his time in the armed forces, Jack graduated from Harvard University in 1948 with a Master's degree in business administration.

Jack Valenti entered the political arena when he was invited to a reception at a Houston Hotel to meet his future mentor and friend, Lyndon B. Johnson. He was immediately inspired by Johnson, who at the time was the U.S. Senate Majority Leader. When Johnson was selected as Kennedy's running mate in 1960, Jack worked on their media campaign. He remained close to Johnson after he became the Vice President.

Following the tragic Kennedy assassination in Dallas, TX, Jack was asked by then-President Johnson to accompany him to Washington where he became a special assistant and close confidant to the new President. After defending Johnson through criticism of the Vietnam War and conspiracy connecting Johnson to the Kennedy assassination, Valenti was offered a lucrative job by MCA Inc. head Lew Wasserman and United Artists' Arthur Krim as head of the Motion Picture Association of America.

In this position, Valenti created the MPAA rating system which initially labeled movies into four distinct ratings: G, M, R and X. This was Valenti's crowning achievement in the entertainment industry; the MPAA system is still used today to provide guidance for movie- viewing families. During his 38 year tenure as president of the MPAA, he was extremely well known in Washington as an advocate for the entertainment industry's major issues. He lobbied for the protection of movie copyrights and the prevention of digital piracy. His voluminous and eloquent style of speaking, coupled with his unique silver hair and cowboy boots, made him one of the most recognizable figures on the Hill.

His sage observations and folksy wisdom made Jack Valenti one of the most effective players in Washington. He was an advisor to Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle; and all of us fortunate enough to receive his council benefited greatly from our association and friendship with him. We all miss him greatly.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 361, recognizing and honoring the life of Jack Valenti and expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to his family.

Jack Valenti was an American icon who holds a special place in the history of the United States. He was a principled leader, a fiery advocate, but always a gentleman. For over 40 years Jack dedicated himself to one of our country's most enduring and influential cultural exports, the motion picture. While most of the world knows Jack for his work at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), many of us would be surprised to know that Jack was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, not Hollywood.

Prior to his life promoting and defending the motion picture industry, Jack piloted a B-25 bomber for the Army Air Forces during WWII, founded his own advertising company and worked for an oil firm in Texas. It was Jack's Texas roots that helped propel him into national politics following the assassination of President Kennedy. As a loyal political advisor to President Lyndon Johnson, Jack cemented his roots in Washington, DC. This city and this country have lost someone that practiced the art of advocacy and consensus that is rarely achieved and sorely missed.

My father, California Senator Fred Farr knew and worked with Jack when they both served in the Johnson Administration and I can say from personal knowledge that Jack was indeed a gentleman who would always offer a kind word, even to his greatest antagonists. The difficulty of Jack's job for the MPAA should not go overlooked, for uniting and assuaging the heads of major Hollywood studios would probably drive even the most savvy party leader batty. That ability to form consensus was only overshadowed by the eloquence in his usage of the English language.

Jack is survived by his wife of over 45 years Mary Margaret Valenti and their three children, John, Alexander and Courtenay; his sister, Lorraine Valenti Dinerstein; and two grandchildren.

As Jack's love of classical literature is well known, I find it fitting to quote Shakespeare in honor of a man that lived several lives in one lifetime:

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages.

I was pleased to call Jack Valenti a friend.