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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release October 10, 2000

STATEMENT BY THE VICE PRESIDENT

Today, the people of Minnesota and the United States lost a great public servant. For nearly a quarter century, Bruce Vento represented his beloved home state in the Congress with integrity and compassion.

Bruce came to the House of Representatives with a wealth of life experiences, from working as a restaurant employee and a laborer to serving as a public school teacher for more than ten years. His own hard-working roots led him to fight hard for all families, and his hometown of St. Paul, his state and our nation are better off because of him.

I was honored to join Congress with Bruce Vento as part of the bicentennial class of 1976, and I was proud to work with him on a host of issues that affected our constituencies. In particular, Bruce became a leader in the fight for a cleaner environment, for better and more affordable housing and for reform of the financial services industry. Through his service on the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Committee, Bruce championed the preservation and expansion of national parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges and other environmental treasures. His conservation legacy will endure for many generations to come.

Bruce Vento waged a valiant struggle against the disease which took his life, and we are all saddened by the loss of such a decent man. Tipper and I pray that his wife, Susan, sons Michael, Peter, and John, and his constituents will find comfort in their many memories of his courageous spirit and good works.

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