[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 402 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 402

       Recognizing the life and contributions of Henry John Hyde.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 12, 2007

 Mr. Grassley (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. 
DeMint, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sununu, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Allard, Mr. 
    Bunning, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Ensign, Mr. 
Coleman, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Thune, Mr. Bennett, Mr. 
 Crapo, Mr. Craig, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Sessions, and Mr. Smith) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Recognizing the life and contributions of Henry John Hyde.

Whereas Representative Henry John Hyde of Illinois was born in Chicago, Cook 
        County, Illinois, on April 18, 1924;
Whereas Henry Hyde excelled as a student both at Georgetown University, at which 
        he helped take the Hoyas basketball team to the National Collegiate 
        Athletic Association semifinals in 1943 and from which he graduated with 
        a bachelor of science degree in 1947, and at Loyola University Chicago 
        School of Law, from which he graduated in 1949;
Whereas Henry Hyde served his country for his entire adult life, as an officer 
        of the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, where he served in combat 
        in the Philippines during World War II, in the United States Navy 
        Reserve from 1946 to 1968, from which he retired at the rank of 
        Commander, as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 
        1967 to 1974 and Majority Leader of that body from 1971 to 1972, as a 
        delegate to the Illinois Republican State Conventions from 1958 to 1974, 
        and as a Republican Member of the United States House of Representatives 
        for 16 Congresses, over 3 decades from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 
        2007;
Whereas Henry Hyde served as the Ranking Member on the Select Committee on 
        Intelligence of the House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991, in the 
        99th through 101st Congresses, and as chairman of the Committee on the 
        Judiciary of the House of Representatives from the 104th through 106th 
        Congresses and the Committee on International Relations from the 107th 
        through 109th Congresses;
Whereas, in his capacity as a United States Representative, Henry Hyde 
        tirelessly served as a champion for children, both born and unborn, and 
        relentlessly defended the rule of law;
Whereas Henry Hyde demonstrated his commitment to the rule of law during his 
        tenure in the House of Representatives, once stating, ``The rule of law 
        is no pious aspiration from a civics textbook. The rule of law is what 
        stands between us and the arbitrary exercise of power by the state. The 
        rule of law is the safeguard of our liberties. The rule of law is what 
        allows us to live our freedom in ways that honor the freedom of others 
        while strengthening the common good. . . . If across the river in 
        Arlington Cemetery there are American heroes who died in defense of the 
        rule of law, can we give less than the full measure of our devotion to 
        that great cause?'';
Whereas Henry Hyde was a key player in some of the highest level debates 
        concerning the response to the terrorist attacks on our Nation on 
        September 11, 2001;
Whereas Henry Hyde received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's 
        highest civilian honor, on November 5, 2007, at a ceremony at which 
        President George W. Bush explained about Representative Hyde, ``He used 
        his persuasive powers for noble causes. He stood for a strong and 
        purposeful America--confident in freedom's advance, and firm in 
        freedom's defense. He stood for limited, accountable government, and the 
        equality of every person before the law. He was a gallant champion of 
        the weak and forgotten, and a fearless defender of life in all its 
        seasons.'';
Whereas Henry Hyde's greatest legacy is as the author, during his freshman term 
        in the House of Representatives, of an amendment to the 1976 Departments 
        of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriations Act--commonly 
        referred to as the Hyde Amendment--that prohibits Federal dollars from 
        being used to pay for the abortion of unborn babies, which conservative 
        figures estimate has saved at least 1,000,000 lives;
Whereas Henry Hyde lived by the belief that we will all be judged by our Creator 
        in the end for our actions here on Earth, which he once explained on the 
        floor of the House of Representatives by saying, ``Our moment in history 
        is marked by a mortal conflict between a culture of life and a culture 
        of death. God put us in the world to do noble things, to love and to 
        cherish our fellow human beings, not to destroy them. Today we must 
        choose sides.'';
Whereas Henry Hyde selflessly battled for the causes that formed the core of his 
        beliefs until the end of his life, and was greatly respected by his 
        friends and adversaries alike for his dedication and will remain a role 
        model for advocates of those causes by virtue of his conviction, 
        passion, wisdom, and character; and
Whereas Henry Hyde was preceded in death by his first wife, Jeanne, and his son 
        Hank, and is survived by his second wife, Judy, his sons Robert and 
        Anthony and daughter Laura, 3 stepchildren, Susan, Mitch, and Stephen, 7 
        grandchildren, and 7 step-grandchildren: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) notes with deep sorrow the death of Henry John Hyde on 
        November 29, 2007, in Chicago;
            (2) extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family of Henry 
        Hyde;
            (3) recognizes the life of service and the outstanding 
        contributions of Henry Hyde; and
            (4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy 
        of this resolution to the family of Henry Hyde.
                                 <all>