[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 843 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 843

 Mourning the passing of Congressman Henry J. Hyde and celebrating his 
leadership and service to the people of Illinois and the United States 
                              of America.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 4, 2007

 Mr. Roskam (for himself, Mr. Costello, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Boehner, Mr. 
 Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Weller of Illinois, 
 Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Kirk, 
 Mr. Shimkus, and Mr. Blunt) submitted the following resolution; which 
         was referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Mourning the passing of Congressman Henry J. Hyde and celebrating his 
leadership and service to the people of Illinois and the United States 
                              of America.

Whereas all Members of Congress affect the history of the United States, but 
        Congressman Henry J. Hyde leaves a legacy as one of the most principled 
        and influential public servants of his generation that will endure for 
        many years;
Whereas millions of men and women across America mourn the death of the 
        distinguished former Congressman from Illinois;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde, upon his graduation from high school, earned a 
        scholarship to play basketball at Georgetown University, and 
        participated in the 1942 NCAA national championship basketball 
        tournament;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde served valorously in the United States Navy from 1944 to 
        1946 in the South Pacific, New Guinea, and the Lingayen Gulf and 
        continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 1968;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde returned to the United States from active duty in 1946, 
        graduated a year later with a bachelor of arts degree, and went on to 
        earn a law degree from Loyola University Law School in 1950;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1967-
        1974;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde was elected to serve Illinois's 6th Congressional District 
        in the United States House of Representatives in 1974;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde will be remembered for his impassioned defense of innocent 
        human life, including, in his first term in Congress, his success in 
        passing a ban on Federal funding of abortions through an amendment 
        commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment that remains one of the most 
        notable and lasting achievements of his distinguished career;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde was named chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in 
        1995 and played a vital role in the passage of key elements of the 
        Contract with America, and as a skilled lawyer and someone who loved the 
        practice of law, he understood and respected the rule of law as an 
        essential part of American Democracy;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde was instrumental in the early 1980s reauthorization of the 
        Voting Rights Act of 1965, and known for initiatives including the 
        Family and Medical Leave Act, nutrition programs for women, infants, and 
        children, Federal standards for collection of child support, and 
        landmark patent, copyright, and trademark reform legislation;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde was named chairman of the House International Relations 
        Committee in 2001 and worked across the political divide to successfully 
        enact legislation to address the burgeoning international HIV/AIDS 
        crisis, and also succeeded in enacting landmark foreign assistance 
        legislation, including the creation of the Millennium Challenge 
        Corporation, and the expansion of United States funding for 
        microenterprise initiatives aimed at helping the poor and vulnerable;
Whereas during his long distinguished career, Henry J. Hyde played an integral 
        role in debates over United States-Soviet relations, Central America 
        policy, the War Powers Act, the Taiwan Relations Act, NATO expansion, 
        and the investigation of the Iran-Contra affair;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde highly respected the institutional integrity of the House 
        of Representatives, and was a forceful advocate for maintaining the 
        dignity of the House and for recognizing the sacrifices and struggles 
        Members make while in its service;
Whereas, in 2006, Henry J. Hyde retired from the House of Representatives, where 
        he maintained ties of bipartisan civility throughout the more than three 
        decades of dedicated service;
Whereas Henry J. Hyde was awarded the Nation's highest civilian honor, the 
        Presidential Medal of Freedom, on November 5, 2007, for tirelessly 
        championing the weak and forgotten and working to build a more hopeful 
        America and promote a culture of life; and
Whereas Henry J. Hyde has been characterized as a statesman, a constitutional 
        scholar, a person with sharp wit and a keen sense of history, a 
        passionate orator, a compassionate man, and a person who has left an 
        indelible mark on the legacy of the United States House of 
        Representatives: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its appreciation for the profound dedication 
        and public service of Congressman Henry J. Hyde;
            (2) notes that he was preceded in death by his late wife 
        Jeanne Simpson and his son, Henry ``Hank'' Hyde;
            (3) tenders its deep sympathy to his wife, Judy Wolverton, 
        to his children, Robert, Laura, and Anthony, and to the entire 
        family of the former Member of Congress and staff;
            (4) directs that the eulogies offered concerning the life 
        of the Honorable Henry J. Hyde, former Representative from the 
        State of Illinois, be bound and printed as a House document; 
        and
            (5) directs the Clerk of the House to transmit a copy of 
        this resolution to the family of Congressman Henry J. Hyde.
                                 <all>