Former U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR), who died this evening, was a faithful Christian who stood up for the "least of these" and fought against war and for peace during his remarkable life. Like many Oregonians, I proudly had the opportunity to work with Senator Hatfield on these issues during the later part of his time in office. He joined me at Baloney Joe's, the old homeless shelter on Burnside, at Christmas time where he spoke out in favor of federal assistance for affordable housing and mental health care in the late 1980s. In the early 1990s he visited me and other advocates at Outside In for a forum on health care needs for those experiencing homelessness. In Washington, D.C., he fought President Reagan in 1987 until the president yielded to enact the McKinney Act (now know as the McKinney-Vento Act), the nation's first major federal response to homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act remains today the linchpin in America's effort to address homelessness. He stood with the National Council of Churches and other religious leaders to oppose the Gulf War in 1991, as he had opposed the Vietnam War and other misadventures in foreign policy. Senator Hatfield's deep and abiding faith made him a champion for social justice and a remarkable, unusual, leader. I give praise to God for his life and know that this servant of Christ is at peace. My prayers are with his wife, Ms. Antoinette Hatfield, and children.
