LANE EVANS' "OTHER" CONSTITUTENTS MOURN HIS DEPARTURE
Because “the Veteran”, official publication of Vietnam Veterans of America, is not available on the Web, I’m taking the liberty as a member of reprinting it here in honor of my friend, Lane Evans. If you get a chance to look at it, with the great photos, do so. It’s special and moving.
END OF AN ERA: Lane Evans Retires
“U.S. Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill), one of VVA’s strongest and most influential supporters on Capitol Hill, announced in March that he would not seek re-election for what would have been his 12th term representing Illinois’ 17th Congressional District. Evans, 55, who was first elected to the House in 1982, is suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
As the ranking Democratic member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Lane Evans is widely recognized as one of the leading advocates for veterans in Congress. His legislative accomplishments man hard fought battles for Vietnam verterans. Evans, for one thing, spearheaded the long, successful effort to enact Agent Orange compensation. A Marine during the Vietnam War era, he was one of the first members of Congress to speak out about problems experienced by Persian Gulf veterans.
In 1990 VVA presented Lane Evans the first President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.
“Lane’s compassion for his fellow veterans and his commitment to do right by them has come from the heart,” said VVA President John Rowan. “The legacy he leaves can be found in the legislation he crafted during his long tenure on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. To say he will be missed is an understatement of grand proportions.”
(If you don't fully appreciate or understand this, just trust me. It's been a very big deal.)
posted by UMRBlog @ 04:09
2 comments
2 Comments:
It's too bad that Lane had to lie about his health, get his "friends" to engage in campaign finance violations, and rely on the 17th Dist. gerrymandering to win since '00, but so what, that's life in the 17th.
It's nice that he was "for" veterans, even as he told the rest of us to screw off.
Lane will always be remembered for the way he manipulated the system to get his "brother" Phil Hare selected as his successor.
But hey, don't we all wish we could be Lane's "niece" and get a free taxpayer financed $400,000.00 condo in Florida from Uncle Sugar, ooops, I mean Uncle Lane?
But at least he was "for" veterans.
What's not to like?
Like no other sick guys, out of hope and denial, have hung on too long.
Spend a little time At VA hospital or a Legion Hall or ask an honorable 62 year old veteran what it means to be an "8" and you might understand, just a smidge, how powerful the "for veterans" you discard so easily is.
Do a little research and you'll every Republican Chair who came to see the correctness of Lane's position on Veteran Care Obligations, has removed from the chair or the committee or both.
Now, we just hand our Vets private information to enterprising pimple ranchers.
I think the VVA president's remarks were on target. Lane wasn't perfect and you may be right about the skulldudgery. He still stood tall for a bunch of my brothers who needed it.
Nonetheless, TYFCB
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