On the recordOctober 20, 2021
Today, I rise to pay tribute to Secretary Colin Powell, America's general. Secretary Powell was more than an astute general and outstanding civic leader who served our Nation's President. He was kind-hearted, a genuine American hero. He was a man of conscience and integrity who bravely stood against divisiveness and lived life bringing people together. As the son of two hardworking Jamaican immigrants, he knew the importance of education and hard work. General Powell, as he prefers to be called, was the first African-American National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State, and he had 35 years of service in the military for this Nation. He described himself in a New York Times article, and he talked about himself in the third person: ``Powell is a problem-solver. He was taught as a soldier to solve problems. So he has views, but he is not an ideologue. He has passion, but he is not a fanatic. He is, first and foremost, a problem-solver.'' And that he did. In Vietnam, he was a hero when the helicopter that he was in crashed, and he pulled out his commander, Major General Charles M. Gettys. Also, he was a passionate servant of the people. When he retired, he organized America's Promise. America's Promise helped at-risk children. I remember seeing his program, hearing about his program, and supporting his program. To his wonderful wife, Alma, and his children, he remains to us an extremely beloved individual.…
