[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HONORABLE THOMAS P. ``TIP'' O'NEILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley] is recognized for 60 
minutes.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I have taken out this special order today 
in honor of the memory of my dear friend, former Speaker Tip O'Neill.
  Madam Speaker, I wanted to take this opportunity to give my 
colleagues in the House a chance to pay their respect to the memory of 
this great man who so loved this institution. Tip O'Neill was a special 
breed of public servant. Nothing made this clearer than the thousands 
of people who waited in line in freezing temperatures for several hours 
to say goodbye to this man of the people.
  Many say that we will never see the likes of Tip O'Neill; that he was 
the last of his kind. I hope that this is not true. We need now, more 
than ever, the compassion, the caring, and the dedication that was part 
of him throughout his entire political career.
  As I have said before, we will all miss him, but we are richer for 
having known him.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Hawaii [Mr. 
Abercrombie].
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Madam Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to say a 
few words in memoriam of Speaker Tip O'Neill. Some Members here are 
aware, others may not be, that I was the last person to be sworn in as 
a Member of this House of Representatives by Speaker O'Neill before he 
retired.
  I was under a rather trying circumstance in 1986, when I won a 
special election and was not nominated in the primary. As a result, I 
came to the Congress in late September 1986, not knowing whether I 
would arrive here in time from Hawaii even to be sworn in before the 
Congress went into recess and adjourned.
  I stood in this well just before this podium on that day in 1986, an 
historic session, sanctions on South Africa, a tax bill that had been 
discussed and discussed again and again all throughout the year.
  It turned out that the Congress went on for almost a month. In other 
words, Madam Speaker, I enjoyed, at that time, one of the shortest 
tenures in the history of the Congress, scarcely 3 weeks.
  The Speaker had been here for more than 3 decades.
  And as the last person to be sworn in before he retired, we developed 
a special relationship. He literally took me under his arm. Obviously, 
I am a lot shorter than he was, although almost as broad. And we sat in 
these chairs.
  He was down on the floor quite a bit. And he said, ``Pal, let me 
explain what is going on here.''
  And I felt that right away, that I was his pal, that he was looking 
out for me.
  He said:

       Neil, whether you have served here as long as I have or for 
     as short a time as you will be serving here, we don't know 
     whether you will be coming back, and I hope that you will,

  He said:

       You are a Member of the House of Representatives. No matter 
     what your length of service, the free men and women of your 
     district have chosen you to represent them and to uphold and 
     defend the Constitution of the United States.

  And he said:

       Don't ever forget that every Member, every man and woman 
     who has come here, over all the 200 years of our Republic, 
     have come to represent freedom and that this House, this 
     House is the people's house. You can only come to this floor 
     and be sworn in, if you are elected by your constituents. You 
     can't be named to it. You can't be assigned to it. You mut 
     come by election. This is the people's house.

  I was never more proud, I was never more aware, never more cognizant, 
Madam Speaker, of my responsibilities and obligations as a citizen of 
the United States than when I was sworn in by Speaker O'Neill. So I 
also had the high honor and privilege, on the last day of the Congress, 
to be sitting in the chair, Madam Speaker, that you are sitting in. 
That is to say, the chair that was there at the time, because one of 
the things that we did in honor of the Speaker, when he retired, was 
give him that chair.
  So not only was I the last person to be sworn in, but I had the honor 
of being the last person to occupy that chair before it was given to 
Speaker O'Neill in honor of his long years of service.
  So we had a picture taken, just before I left. I asked the Speaker if 
he would make this sign with me in that picture. And he said, ``What is 
that?''
  I said, ``Well, out in Hawaii they will know what it means.'' I said, 
``This means everything is okay. Everything is easy. Everything has 
been done. You are in good hands. We are all pals. We are together.''
  He said, ``Are you sure? Am I doing it right?''
  I said, ``You are doing it just fine.''
  He put a big grin on, and he gave what is called the shaka sign. You 
probably have seen it on television various times from people from 
Hawaii. They are always doing it.
  That is the signal back to everybody in Hawaii that everything is 
okay.
  He said, ``Are you sure this is right?''
  I said, ``They will understand what it is back in Hawaii, Mr. 
Speaker.''
  And he said, ``You are learning, kid. All politics is local.''
  That was the Speaker. Yes, all politics is local, just like his last 
book. I did not have the opportunity to have him sign it. I brought it 
with me from Hawaii in the hopes that he would. And of course, he 
passed on before he had the opportunity. But just as the Speaker taught 
us all politics is local, I also know that in politics, all love and 
affection is personal. And if there is any person who ever exemplified 
love and affection in politics, it is Speaker Tip O'Neill.
  ``Mr. Speaker, wherever you are, we are remembering your lessons and 
you have our love and affection.''
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Hawaii for his 
words for Speaker O'Neill.
  I now introduce a dear friend of many years of the Speaker, the 
chairman, the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Bevill].
  Mr. BEVILL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my long-
time friend and very outstanding former colleague, Thomas P. ``Tip'' 
O'Neill.
  Tip and I served together for many years in the House Democratic whip 
organization and I supported him for majority leader and Speaker. I 
always enjoyed his friendship and I miss him very much. As you know, 
Tip had thousands of friends, but he always made you feel like you were 
a close friend and very important to him.
  Tip O'Neill was a true man of the people. He loved people and people 
loved him. He was particularly close to those he represented in his 
district in Massachusetts. My wife Lou and I once went to a restaurant 
in Boston that Tip had recommended. When I told the waiter that Tip 
O'Neill had sent us, the manager came out to meet us. They showered us 
with attention because we were Tip's friends. They just couldn't do 
enough for us. I'll never forget that.
  Tip O'Neill was a master at sizing people up and understanding what 
they were capable of. I think this insight contributed a great deal to 
his success in politics. He was equally at home with heads of state and 
with the man on the street. He did a great job when it came to dealing 
with dignitaries and he rubbed shoulders with the most important people 
in the world. But, to Tip, the most important people in the world--
besides his family members--were average Americans. He really cared 
about them.
  One of my young constituents who uses crutches to walk tells a story 
about meeting Tip O'Neill one day at the U.S. Capitol. Tip came up 
behind my friend and asked him if he needed any help getting up the 
steps. He didn't just walk on past as many people would have done. He 
walked down the hall with my constituent and they talked about some of 
the topics of the day. This chance encounter made a lasting impression 
on that young man from my district. He realized that Tip O'Neill saw 
him as a person.
  We all have so many stories about Tip O'Neill--telling them all would 
take many hours and fill many volumes. He was simply larger than life 
and we loved him for it.
  Suffice it to say that Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill did an outstanding 
job representing his district and an outstanding job representing our 
Nation.
  He was a great ambassador and above all, a great American. Our lives 
are better for having known him.

                              {time}  1640

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, 
Henry Gonzalez, from the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban 
Affairs.
  (Mr. GONZALEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, the great State of Massachusetts has 
produced a vast number of great and distinguished public servants--
great leaders who have served this country well from its colonial 
founding, through revolution, civil war, insurrection, world war--
through every crisis, this country has found among its leaders the sons 
and daughters of Massachusetts. Speaker O'Neill was just such a leader.
  Thomas P. O'Neill was a politician in the finest sense--a devoted, 
dedicated, honest, and humble public servant, courageous, decent, and 
self-effacing, gregarious, possessed of a fine wit, and above all, one 
who never forgot from whence he came nor whom he was elected to serve--
the ordinary people who elected him, depended on him, and who loved 
him.
  Tip O'Neill lived by a credo that was something like this: The moral 
test of any government is how it treats the most vulnerable; the 
children, the elderly, and the poor. He never lost sight of that. In 
his great struggles in the House, he worked first to create the 
programs and policies that aimed to alleviate distress and cure social 
ills and redress injustice. Then he worked to preserve those programs 
against the reactionary and socially disastrous policies of the Reagan 
era. But no matter how bitter the contest nor how difficult the fight, 
Tip O`Neill always conducted himself with decency and honor. He had 
respect for the institution he served, and for the people he served--a 
respect that grew from the sure knowledge that his constituents came 
first, and whatever he did reflected on them and served them well or 
ill. Tip never forgot his district, never failed to serve it well and 
with honor and integrity.

  Tip came from a city of great public servants, a city that more than 
any other in America can lay claim to historic leadership--the city of 
Harvard, of MIT, and of great medical institutions. It is the city of 
Fanueil Hall, of Old North Church, the home of Hancock and Adams, of 
Revere and many, many others. He came from a city whose public servants 
include another great Speaker, McCormack, and familiar, distinguished 
names like Fitzgerald and Kennedy and Boland and Moakley--and many, 
many others. There never was a finer politician, in the most honorable 
sense of the word, nor a more accomplished one, than Tip O'Neill.
  I doubt that anyone, save Tip himself, could tell us how many were 
his achievements--but I suspect that to him, it was just as important 
to be sure that Mrs. O'Leary got a decent place to live in, or Mr. 
Kerry got a job, or that an unfortunate kid got a break and stayed in 
school--as it was to win the biggest vote on the toughest issue. He was 
from the people, he knew and respected them, loved them and served 
them, always, every day, in every way that he could. Public service to 
him was real, and it was just that, service.
  He was also a servant of the House. Every Member knew that the 
Speaker's door was open, that he cared about them and for them. He 
listened, and even if he couldn't help, you knew that he'd done his 
best. Tip had no enemies, only friends.
  This House has been blessed with many great Members--none finer, none 
more loved, and none more missed than Tip O'Neill. There he is, in some 
celestial game with his pals, with a big cigar and hearty laugh and 
some fine old story, and looking down on us, reminding us how 
privileged we are to serve here. Tip, if half of us do half as well as 
you, the country need never fear.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his 
remarks.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Mazzoli].
  (Mr. MAZZOLI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. MAZZOLI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Moakley] for yielding me this time, so we might reflect for a few 
moments about Tip O'Neill. I would imagine that outside of Tip's 
immediate family, his passing brought no one more grief than the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], because of his personal 
closeness to Tip O'Neill over the years. This has to be a moment of 
mixed emotions for you, gladness at seeing and hearing us celebrate 
Tip's life, but also sadness at realizing he is gone.
  Madam Speaker, I have had the privilege of serving in the third 
district of Kentucky for the past 24 years, and during a large part of 
that time I served with Tip O'Neill, both as our whip and as our 
majority leader, and then as our Speaker. I had a chance to observe Tip 
when he was really among us and then when he was our leader.
  At no time, Madam Speaker, did Tip ever show anything other than true 
interest in our well-being as Members. He never failed to show 
pleasantries to us, and to be cheerful and to be optimistic, and to be 
a person with the ability to weave humor into any kind of a 
relationship, and to weave humor in any sort of situation.
  Many times, from where I am standing in the well and from where the 
gentlewoman from Texas, [Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson] is presiding, I 
have observed Tip many times, with that wonderful ability to disarm 
people and to charm them, and to, as we say back home in Kentucky, pour 
oil on troubled waters and calm everybody down. I observed that many 
times, and particularly, Madam Speaker, I observed that when Tip came 
to Louisville to help me in one of my reelection efforts.
  Down on Main Street, which is the older part of our town, which has 
been beautifully restored, like Fanueil Hall and the beautiful part of 
your home town in Boston, Tip came to a place we called Stairways, 
which is a renewed building, and to say the absolute least, all my 
friends showed up and Tip was the star of stars. Tip, just by his very 
persona, and by what he said and how he said it, and by that charm and 
by that wit and by those Irish stories, Tip just put everyone at ease 
and made everybody very happy, and obviously helped me in my reelection 
effort.
  I guess that was the closest that I have really seen Tip away from 
this area, away from the House, his wonderful home. If I ever saw Tip 
reflecting what he so often said, that ``all politics is local,'' and 
he is going to be revered for many things, but not the least of which 
is the way he could create phraseology that illustrated things.
  He always would say, ``All politics is local.'' What we mean by that 
is that everything we do here has a relationship to the people. 
Everything we do relates to people, not in a global sense, but in a 
very particular sense. I saw Tip working that beat, and certainly all 
politics is local. I have always tried to remember that and make sure 
that people who were of a mind to send me here, and whom I am honored 
to represent, achieve and have the fullness of my service.
  I remember having served on the initial panel of intelligence under 
Eddie Boland, who, along with Tip, were great friends, of course, and 
roommates until Tip became Speaker and Millie came down from Boston.
  In that setting, or course, we always heard the great stories about 
what was in that refrigerator in that apartment, and it was not a lot 
of gourmet food, let me put it that way. For those two people, whenever 
I see Jack Lemon, I guess it is, and those actors, I always think of 
the odd couple. I think of Eddie Boland and Tip O'Neill.

                             {time}   1650

  And then once, Mr. Speaker, I was at Notre Dame, my alma mater, for 
believe it or not, a Boston College game, one of the times when the 
Irish beat the Eagles. They did not do it, of course, in 1993, which 
cost the Irish the national championship. But I remember vividly being 
there, and coming out of Notre Dame Stadium at twilight at the end of 
an autumn afternoon. The Irish were behind and came back at half time 
to defeat the Eagles in a very tight game. When I came back I could see 
this big, long limousine kind of come pulling up with darkened windows 
like you see in Beverly Hills or in New York City, and zoom, down goes 
those windows, and out comes one Irish face and one Italian face. And 
it was Tip O'Neill and Sil Conte. And of course, we all remember our 
late departed friend from another part of Massachusetts, Sil Conte. And 
we were talking and having so much fun, and I could just see how Tip 
enjoyed life. Even though the Eagles had lost, Tip was having a great 
time. And there he was, and he offered to give me a ride downtown, 
which I didnot need because I had the car there. And it was really 
wonderful to see those two fellows who were such great friends, 
different sides of the political spectrum, different sides of the 
aisle, different parts of Massachusetts, different vintage, different 
nationality, but they had a commonality about them which is that they 
both did recognize what we do here, which is to make laws for people 
and to try to serve the people.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I have many, many fond memories of Tip. I have the 
highest reverence for him as a person, and he will be very widely 
mourned not just by us, his colleagues, but by this country and by the 
world, because he was a rare human being and a rare parliamentarian.
  I appreciate the gentleman giving me a chance to share my 
reflections, and I would take this opportunity to extend to Millie and 
to the family my condolences and my expressions of regret at the 
passage of this great man from our midst, and to wish them well. And 
also to say Tip, who as an earlier speaker said, is watching over us 
right now, Tip, you said it right. All politics is local.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] the 
chairman of the Democratic caucus.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman of the 
Rules Committee, dean of the Massachusetts delegation, and one of 
Massachusetts' finest sons for yielding.
  Massachusetts is a State that I have known well over the years. I 
went to school there as a 6-year-old and 7-year-old. I lived there 
during most of my summers while I was young, and I owned a house there 
until 1989. So I feel that I am very much a part of Massachusetts.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join so many of my colleagues, led by 
members of the Massachusetts delegation and its dean, in paying tribute 
to one of the finest Members to ever serve in the people's House, our 
former Speaker, our friend, our counselor, our adviser, our political 
leader, Thomas P. Tip O'Neill.
  I first ran for Congress in 1981 in a special election. It was the 
first election contest since Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President, 
and many were looking to that race to see if the Reagan revolution was 
a reality. The national media were clamoring over every word that was 
uttered on both sides, and the hierarchy from within the Democratic 
Party as well as the Republican Party came out to Prince Georges 
County. Obviously, members of the Democratic Party came to campaign for 
me.

  Tip joined me at one of these events, and to that degree I qualified 
with probably many hundreds of Members over the years who asked Tip 
O'Neill to come to their districts, who asked Tip O'Neill to shed a 
little of that Irish magic on the heather in their fields, who asked 
Tip to come and say to the constituents who knew that Tip cared for 
them, each and every one, to say that Bill Hughes, or Steny Hoyer, or 
Joe Moakley cared as well. And we knew that if he did that it would 
have an effect, because the people perceived him correctly to be 
honest, sincere, and committed to their interests.
  My soon-to-be constituents were starry-eyed, very frankly, that the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives would leave his very important 
duty and come out and talk to them. and he did, just like he was one of 
them. And in fact, of course, his secret was that he was very much one 
of them. And because the voters are very smart people, they knew that, 
they felt it, and they accorded him the credibility that that status 
merited.
  During that brief 90-day campaign of which I speak Tip told me, like 
so many of us here, the story of his neighbor from his first campaign, 
Mrs. O'Brien. And all of us remember that when he said that he had 
delivered papers to Mrs. O'Brien, he had cut Mrs. O'Brien's yard, he 
had been to her house for milk and cookies, he had known her all of his 
life, and when it came to the time that it was the close of the 
election he went to Mrs. O'Brien and he said, ``Mrs. O'Brien, I thank 
you for your vote.'' And she said, ``Tip,'' as I recall the story, ``I 
didn't vote for you.'' ``How could you not do that, Mrs. O'Brien? You 
have known me all your life. You know who I am.'' And she replied, 
``Tip, it's nice to be asked.''
  Of course I think every one of us have heard that story, and it is 
one of those simple but very cogent vignettes that Tip O'Neill told all 
of us and the Nation in projecting that all politics is local, his 
famous phrase. And of course, that is true, because ultimately the 
genius of this system is that districts of about 600,000 select one of 
us to come here and to represent their views and to make sure that the 
local perspective is written large in Washington through their 
representatives. And Tip knew that I think better than any of us, and 
he taught us well.
  I think every person who ever worked with Speaker O'Neill has a 
favorite story to tell of how Tip touched them personally, taught them 
a lesson, or influenced the way they thought about the political 
process. None of us, however, I think will ever be as funny, be as 
warm, or capture as well the essence of Tip O'Neill as did our friend 
and colleague, Joe Moakley, in his moving eulogy of his friend Tip at 
the funeral in Massachusetts.
  Mr. Speaker, Speaker O'Neill had the unique ability to be a leader 
among men. No matter where he was, who he met, or what he said, he 
always remained himself, and spoke words of wisdom to be remembered by 
future generations. In the final chapter of his book, ``Man of the 
House,'' Tip writes of what he believed. He said:

       I believe that every family deserves the opportunity to 
     earn an income, own a home, educate their children, and 
     afford medical care. That is the American dream, and it's 
     still worth fighting for.

  If Tip were here today he would be fighting shoulder to shoulder with 
the President for health care for everybody that is always there.

                              {time}  1700

  Today all of us in this Chamber and throughout the country still 
fight to make this dream a reality.
  As Tip looks down upon us, and it is interesting how many of us have 
used that phrase, Tip looking down upon us, I think we are all very 
cognizant that Tip is watching and Tip knows all, because we have had 
that experience through our careers in relationship with him, we begin 
once again to debate the reality versus the rhetoric of making the 
American dream real for all our people.
  In honor of Tip's legacy, let us get on with making his American 
dream for all his fellow citizens come true.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his wonderful 
statement about Speaker O'Neill.
  Now, Tip used to tell a lot of jokes and a lot of them were on 
himself.
  Tip was the greatest known golfer, but he was by far not the greatest 
golfer. In fact, when you are Speaker, they say you do not need a 
putter, because as soon as you get on the green, it is a gimme.
  But he tells the story about the time he was golfing with Lee 
Trevino, and they came to a water hole that was a par 3 hole. The 
Speaker reached in his bag and got an old, cut-up ball and put it down 
and started to hit it, and Lee says, ``Mr. Speaker,'' he says, 
``already in your mind you have hit that ball in that water. That is 
why you took out the worst ball in your bag.'' He says, ``Put that ball 
back and take out the best ball you have got in your bag.'' He does, 
and he takes out a brandnew ball. He says, ``Now, before you hit it, 
just take one practice swing.'' So he takes a practice swing. He says, 
``Fine, Mr. Speaker,'' he says, ``Take one more practice swing.'' He 
takes one more practice swing. Lee says, ``Tip, put the ball back and 
get the other ball.''
  But this is a story that Tip would tell on himself, and most people 
would like to tell everybody what great golfers they are, but Tip loved 
golf. It kept him young. It kept him going. It gave him a chance to get 
some exercise, meet his friends, and talk with a lot of people. He just 
would get out to play golf anytime he could, and I am glad that he was 
able to right up to the end participate in the sport that he loved so 
well.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Pickle], a dear friend of 
the Speaker.
  Mr. PICKLE. Madam Speaker, Tip O'Neill was one of the warmest, best 
like Speakers that we have ever had. He was a real people person. Warm, 
friendly, kind, and understanding, Tip showed great compassion and 
dedication to public service. He liked to admit that he was a 
politician and ``proud of it!'' Every Member of Congress who ever 
served with him respected him, including Republicans. He was their 
target, but they knew he would fight fair, and they respected and loved 
him for it. When I was first elected to Congress, Tip O'Neill's office 
was directly across the hall from mine, and we have been close friends 
since 1963. Here are some of my recollections.
  First, he made time for everyone and anyone--no matter who they were 
or what their station. I remember the time he came over to autograph 
the old pump organ that stands in the corner of my office. He did not 
just rush in, sign the organ and rush out. He stayed to swap stories 
and tell jokes with my staff. Here was the Speaker of the House using 
his valuable time. But he did not quit there, he then posed for 
pictures with the staff, which were later returned hand signed in gold 
ink for each of them. They were star struck but I told them that was 
just Tip.
  Second, I remember the time I had some folks up from the district. 
One of the constituents was a minister here to lead the Congress in the 
opening prayer. After the opening of Congress, the Speaker invited them 
into his office to visit and to show them the historical items he had 
on display there. Later when we all returned to my office, I asked how 
they had enjoyed meeting the Speaker of the House. The wife responded 
gleefully that he was just like a big Teddy Bear and that he had given 
her a big hug when they left. She also told me she had taken something 
from his office as a keepsake to always remember him by. I could not 
imagine what she might have taken from his office, and asked if I could 
have a look at the item. Sheepishly, she opened her purse and unwrapped 
a kleenex to reveal the chewed up stub of the Speaker's cigar. She 
admitted having taken if off the fireplace mantel where he put it down 
while telling them stories about the history of his office. She said 
``Now people back home will believe me when I tell them I hugged 
Speaker Tip O'Neill.'' I do not know if the Speaker ever realized what 
happened to his cigar, but I am certain it is still safely put away as 
a keepsake; and it has made some good stories for the wife of a 
minister back in central Texas.
  Third, when Tip O'Neill visited the LBJ School of Public Affairs in 
the seventies we held a reception for him in the great library hall. At 
the end of the ceremony, we played ``The Eyes of Texas'' for him. As we 
all raised our Hook 'Em Horns sign, Tip did his best to form his big, 
fat fingers into a Hook 'Em figure, and he finally did, but with great 
difficulty. I have that picture of Speaker O'Neill and UT President 
Lorene Rogers on my office wall--it is great.

  That evening, the chancellor of the University of Texas, Hans Mark, 
held a reception for Speaker O'Neill at the Bauer House, the official 
residence of the University of Texas' chancellor. Members of the 
faculty, regents, and outstanding UT alumni all over the State were 
invited. I asked Lawrence Olsen, my former press secretary, to drive 
Speaker O'Neill to the Bauer House in time for the reception line and 
the party. When Lawrence reached the hotel, Tip was still in his boxer 
shorts watching a Boston Red Sox game. Lawrence happened to be a Red 
Sox supporter, and they began to talk about the Red Sox. That must have 
gone on for an hour because the Speaker was late to the Bauer House by 
nearly an hour. I fussed at Lawrence because of the delay. He 
sheepishly said, ``Well, Tip wanted to talk about baseball!'' The 
Speaker knew his Boston Red Sox and he knew his baseball like an 
expert. At that time, he would rather talk about baseball than stand in 
a receiving line.
  Fourth, when I served as chairman of the Social Security 
Subcommittee, working on a bill to revamp Social Security, I was 
constantly refereeing partisan politics concerning the volatile Social 
Security Program. Democratic leaders were not only looking for ways to 
make the program solvent, but they also wanted to put President Reagan 
on the defensive. Speaker O'Neill was prevailed upon by his friend, the 
great Claude Pepper, and other Social Security leaders to maintain the 
same age for retirement that the oldline Democrats wanted to keep. 
Naturally, Speaker O'Neill called a leadership meeting with the 
Democrat where Tip asked probing questions about the program and how we 
should proceed. Actually, he was simply learning facts to formulate his 
own policy. He plowed through the same questions my committee had 
discussed over and over, and on which we had already adopted a policy. 
I felt like I was climbing up the same hill again! At the end of the 
meeting, Tip asked if I thought this meeting was helpful, and I told 
him the meeting reminded me of LBJ. When a member of LBJ's staff had 
made a big mistake and had fouled up a program, LBJ would say to them, 
``I want you to take the rest of the afternoon off and enjoy yourself. 
You have helped me as much today as I can stand.'' Tip laughed and 
broke up the meeting, and later he told me that it was a good meeting. 
But we all learned how to proceed and did the right thing. That was Tip 
O'Neill's way to reach a consensus and to produce good legislation. He 
was a master of working with people.
  Fifth, when Boston College played at the university, a few years 
back, I tempted Speaker O'Neill to visit the Manchaca Fire Department's 
dedication of a new fire truck. As we climbed atop the fire truck in 
the presence of Governor Ann Richards (then county commissioner), 
former Mayor Carole McClellan, Judge Mary Pearl Williams, and Cathy 
Bonner. Tip kept waving at the crowd, but as he dismounted from the 
truck, he leaned over to me and asked, ``Geez Jake, where did you get 
all these good looking babes?'' Tip reminded me of our beautiful city 
and beautiful women for many years.

  Sixth, to comply with a possible television broadcast request, Tip 
agreed to participate in the rendition of ``Apple Blossom Time'' in 
honor of his wife Millie. He admitted that he used to sing ``Apple 
Blossom Time'' to Millie during their courting years--and Tip was not 
bad. It was a sweet, nostalgic performance.
  Last, at the general gatherings in Washington, Tip would tell certain 
stories over and over again. There was one about ``I was a stranger and 
Ye Took Me In.'' There was another about Robert Redford who mistook Tip 
for a famous man and another about ``You are looking for Murphy the 
Spy.'' We Members would sigh deeply that we were going to hear those 
same stories again. Tip always reminded us that we may have heard that 
story, but the crowd had not. He had learned to tell a good story and 
was good at it--the best we ever had in office. Politicians learn how 
to tell the good story--and we all use them over and over. We used to 
threaten Tip by advocating a banquet where Tip had to come and listen 
to his own stories.
  Tip O'Neill was an excellent legislator, but he also was a genuine, 
warm, congenial friend.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas very 
much.
  Continuing along with what the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Pickle] was 
saying about the stories that Tip told, and that Henry Ford story was a 
classic, Tip bumped into Danny Thomas one day, and he says, ``Danny,'' 
he says, ``I've got some great jokes, but I've been telling them so 
long,'' he says, ``everybody that I meet has heard them.'' So Danny 
says, ``Let me hear them.''

                              {time}  1710

  So he heard them. He says, ``They are pretty good, Tip; just change 
your audiences more often.''
  Sinatra, you know, does not change the songs he sings; he sings the 
same songs. But evidently you cannot do the same with jokes.
  Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut, Ms. DeLauro, for a few words on Tip O'Neill.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Madam Speaker, one of the few regrets that I have in my life is that 
I never served in the Congress with Speaker Tip O'Neill. When I was 
first elected in 1990, he was 4 years into retirement. But, while he 
may have retired, he was never retiring. And, those of us who had the 
pleasure of knowing him will always remember his zest for life, his 
love of friends, and his unfailing humor.
  When I first ran for Congress, Tip O'Neill came and campaigned for 
me. It was then that I discovered that though he was gone from 
politics, politics was not gone from him. And, he had valuable lessons 
to teach an eager pupil, like myself. But, each lesson started and 
ended with his now-famous one-line motto: All politics is local. He 
lived by those words and that is what made him the quintessential 
politician.
  He came up to campaign for me for my second campaign. At that time he 
said to me, ``Darlin', I am not going to do very many of these, but I 
am going to come up to New Haven for you. But I want you not to be 
taking me to too many places because, you know, I am getting old.'' 
Well, it was a wonderful, wonderful visit that we had in that campaign. 
Those campaigns and his visits, I will never forget.
  His accomplishments may be well known by most of us but they are 
still astounding in their breadth: He held elective office for 50 
years; 16 years in the Massachusetts Legislature and 34 years in the 
House; 10 of those years as the Speaker of the House. A young man from 
modest means who reached the pinnacle of political power in the 
greatest Nation on Earth--Tip O'Neill embodied the American Dream.
  But, he embodied much more than that. He was a true lunch-pail 
Democrat. Never did the working man or woman have a better friend than 
when he served in Washington. His style was one that many have tried to 
replicate. But, few have succeeded. You see it came naturally to him. 
His Irish charm and yen for storytelling never failed to draw a crowd. 
Whether he was regaling us with stories of oldtime Boston ward politics 
or of his beloved Red Sox, how Tip O'Neill could spin a yarn.
  There was another side to Tip O'Neill. He was a man of real 
principle. He wasn't afraid to vote his conscience even when it meant 
taking some heat from the people back home. He made the tough votes and 
through his decades of service earned the respect of the people of his 
district, his State, and his country. That respect was evident on the 
weekend in January when Tip O'Neill was laid to rest. Roughly 11,000 
people braved subzero temperatures and 2 feet of snow to pay their last 
respects.
  I was unable to be in Boston that weekend, as I was out of the 
country. But, if I had been the 11,001st admirer to say my final 
goodbye to Tip O'Neill I would have said this: ``Thanks, my friend. You 
served your country with distinction. You were a wonderful husband, 
father, grandfather and friend. And, you have brightened our world with 
the glowing example of your life.''
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut very much for 
her remarks.
  Madam Speaker, at this time I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey 
[Mr. Hughes].
  (Mr. HUGHES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HUGHES. Madam Speaker, first of all let me just thank the 
distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], chairman of 
the Committee on Rules, for taking out this special order to honor our 
great friend, Tip O'Neill. We are indebted to him for that.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the true giants 
in American history, the late Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill.
  There is no one who I admired more throughout my political career 
than I did Tip O'Neill. He embodied everything that was good about 
politics and public service. Tip had a sense of right and wrong, and an 
understanding of politics, like no one I have ever known in my life.
  I was very fortunate to have gotten to know Tip O'Neill during my 
first term in office, when he was serving as majority leader.
  It was my privilege to vote for him as Speaker, and I think he was 
probably one of the greatest, greatest Speakers of this country.
  His years in Government gave him the perspective and the political 
instincts which enabled him to see way beyond what most others saw 
occurring in the political arena. That is what made him so effective as 
a leader.
  As a person, he was one of a kind, as some of my colleagues have 
said. On the outside he was big, and by stature he was gruff, and he 
was at times intimidating by stature, but on the inside he was a 
sweetheart of a guy. He took a personal interest in everyone's 
problems, from his constituents back home to his colleagues in the 
House and to those who came up to him in the corridors as he tried to 
move from office to office, from the office to the floor.
  Tip made you feel very special as he talked to you. It was this 
enormous ability to focus on what somebody was saying that made him, I 
think, so great as a human being. He had a generosity that was second 
to none, and that, too, endeared him to all.
  I will never forget the years that he came into southern New Jersey 
to campaign for me. I suspect that you could probably get 600 or 700 
Members of Congress to come to the well and talk about their special 
visit with Tip in their district, and you wonder how he had time to 
help govern this Nation, but he found the time.
  Tip knew that I represented a largely Republican district and that 
most of my supporters were business people and others who were 
generally more conservative than he was. As a result, he was always 
unsure what to say. I always told him the same: ``Tip, just be 
yourself.''
  Invariably, it would take Tip all of 5 minutes before he had the 
audience eating out of his hand. He would start by pleading guilty to 
being a liberal and a big spender. Then once the audience got over that 
shock, he would explain to them what he meant: that he believed in 
spending more money on education, health care, senior citizens, cancer 
research, wastewater treatment facilities, and so many other programs 
that left us with something after we spent the money. And on and on he 
would go.
  He would refer to some of the programs that we did not receive during 
the 1980's, and he would say, ``You know, you could probably walk 
around your district and see many of the projects that I supported as a 
big spender that helped put people back to work and made everybody's 
life a little better.''
  After his speech, you could see them line up to shake his hand and 
tell him how much they admired him.
  That is the Tip O'Neill I knew, a man who was generous, witty, true 
to his beliefs, and blessed with the natural instincts and attributes 
of a great leader.
  There will never be another Tip O'Neill. His loss was a great one for 
our country, but his legacy will live on. And if I ever write a book on 
my retirement--and I intend to leave at the end of this Congress--there 
will be a special place in that book for Tip O'Neill.
  I might say to my colleague from Massachusetts that just right before 
his death I saw Tip downstairs, coming out of the House physician's 
office. He was not well, and it was obvious. But the first thing he 
said to me was, ``How are the Sullivans?'' Of course, the Sullivans are 
from Boston, and Barry Sullivan is my son-in-law, as you know. And we 
have three beautiful grandchildren. Tip said, ``How are the 
grandchildren, in particular?'' That is the Tip he was, because he 
cared about everyone he knew.

  His legacy will live on, and as he looks down on us, I know he has to 
be very pleased with the things they were taking up in this Chamber in 
this session of Congress--health care, all kinds of welfare reform and 
pension initiatives--because that is the Tip O'Neill who moved so many 
great things through this institution because he cared.
  I want to express my gratitude to his wife, Millie, for sharing him 
with all of us for so many years and to wish her and her lovely family 
my heartfelt sympathy and the best of everything in the years ahead.
  I once again thank the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. I thank the gentleman very much.

                              {time}  1720

  Madam Speaker, at this time I yield to the gentleman from New York 
[Mr. Gilman] who was a companion of Speaker O'Neill, I know, on many 
trips when they were officially invited to participate in government 
events overseas.
  Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Moakley] for yielding to me and for arranging this special order 
so that we could pay tribute to a wonderful man. Madam Speaker, it is 
with a certain amount of remorse that I join my colleagues in paying 
tribute to one of the legislative giants of our century, indeed tribute 
to one of the greatest legislative leaders in the history of our 
Republic.
  The passing of Thomas ``Tip'' O'Neill last month left a void which 
will not soon be filled. Tip was always so full of life, so determined, 
and so energetic, that most of us assumed he would always be with us.
  I had the privilege of serving in the House with Tip O'Neill during 
the last 14 years of his career. For the last 10 of those years, he was 
our Speaker. Despite the fact that he and I sat on opposite sides of 
the aisle, he never hesitated to offer sage advice, or a friendly 
handshake.
  Some congressional observers have labeled Tip O'Neill the last of the 
old time politicians and, at the same time, the first of the new brand 
of political leaders. While his colorful style and strong convictions 
made him an effective congressional leader and a household word, his 
charisma and obvious charm and sincerity made him a hero for the 
television generation.
  Tip was a man of the people who never forgot his roots. His father 
always admonished him to remember from ``whence he came'' and he always 
did. He always remembered his blue-collar background and his working 
class antecedents. Tip never forgot that these were the Americans to 
whom he owed his first allegiance.
  Tip had politics in his blood when he first sought elective office at 
an early age. Losing his first race for the State legislature, he was 
surprised to learn that a long-time family friend and neighbor 
neglected to vote for him. When Tip asked why, he was told that he 
never had asked his friends for their votes--and that everyone likes to 
be asked. He never forgot that lesson, and he never tired of sharing 
that wise lesson with all of us.
  Tip O'Neill had a framed adage on the wall of his office stating that 
``the main responsibilities of government were to three groups of 
people: ``those at the dawn of life: our children; ``those at the 
twilight of life: our senior citizens; and ``those in the shadows of 
life: the ill, the needy, and the handicapped.''
  Even those of us who may have disagreed with Tip O'Neill 
philosophically on some issues could not dispute the soundness of his 
basic philosophy, just as no one could dispute that Tip was a man of 
rare integrity and intelligence.
  In May of 1983, I had the sad duty of informing the House of the 
passing of our former colleague, one of my predecessors, Mrs. Katherine 
St. George, who had represented my congressional district from 1946 
until 1964. Much to my surprise, at the end of my remarks, Speaker 
O'Neill left the Speaker's chair and moved to the well of the House, 
where he delivered an impromptu moving tribute to the late 
Congresswoman Katherine St. George which was valued by her family all 
the more due to the obvious sincerity and spontaneity of this generous 
gesture.
  The people of North Cambridge, MA--the people Tip O'Neill loved so 
deeply and so sincerely--first elected Tip to the State legislature in 
1934, starting his 50-year career of public service. He remained in 
that body until 1952 becoming, in the process, the first Democratic 
Speaker of the House in Massachusetts' history. When his home 
congressional district became vacant in 1952, due to the U.S. 
Senatorial candidacy of the incumbent, John F. Kennedy, Tip O'Neill was 
easily elected to the House seat, and was easily re-elected every 
election until his voluntary retirement in 1986.
  The love and esteem with which Tip was held by his constituency and 
by his family was shared by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. 
Those of us who had the honor of serving with him will never forget 
him, will never forget his bear hugs, his warmth, his humor, and his 
sage advice.
  To his widow, Millie, to his children, his grandchildren, and his 
many many friends and admirers, we offer our deepest condolences. To 
the Nation as a whole, Tip O'Neill has left his mark--and a tremendous 
legacy.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Regula], a friend of the Speaker and one of his favorite Republicans.
  Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Moakley] for yielding to me and for taking this special order.
  Madam Speaker, the second great commandment is to love your neighbor 
as yourself. Tip O'Neill lived this commandment each day as he built a 
distinguished career of serving people and caring deeply for 
individuals from every walk of life. We have all heard his famous 
remark, that all politics is local. I think he really meant that all 
politics is personal and involves caring for and loving his fellow man.
  Madam Speaker, each of us can recount story after story of Tip's 
humor, his warmth in reaching out to people and his goodness as a human 
being.
  Tip's remarks on leaving the Congress deserve to be repeated tonight. 
They are a legacy of respect for this institution that we might all 
reflect on as we serve. I would like to share a few of these comments 
by quoting from his speech, and Tip said, and this was in the 
Congressional Record on October 17 of 1986:

       If you go to any country, any country in Europe, the 
     majority sits on one side and the minority sits on the 
     another side and they do not speak to each other, and they 
     are amazed that my Millie and Corinner will be sitting there, 
     chatting so friendly, or Bob and I will be sitting there, 
     friendly; or that the Democrats are talking to the 
     Republicans. They just do not understand it.
       That is the way a democracy should be. There should be no 
     rancor or hatred for anybody. It is the love of ideas: my 
     ideas are different from yours and your ideas are different 
     from mine, but we respect each other for it, and that is what 
     makes a democracy great.

  Madam Speaker, those were wonderful words from our former Speaker, 
and he closed by saying:

       Let me say this to you after 50 years in public life--this 
     is the greatest country in the history of the world, we are 
     the leaders of the world, this is the greatest legislative 
     body in the world. We will always be great as long as we 
     recognize the rights of one another across the aisle, as long 
     as we respect each other for our thoughts, ideas, 
     philosophies and as long as we respect those who disagree. 
     This Nation is great. Why is it great? Because we are the 
     voice of the American people and we respond to their will.
       I leave with no rancor in my heart for anybody. I leave 
     with tremendous love and affection for this great body. I 
     will always be a man of the House of Representatives but 
     always, first, I am an American and so proud of this body.
       Thank you. I love you all.

  Madam Speaker, those are the words of Tip. They are beautiful, and 
they are words that we should all live by and respect as we serve in 
this body.
  We all know that Tip could be partisan with the best, and, as his 
son, Kip, said at his funeral, ``Tip might hate the Republican sin, but 
it did not stop him from loving the sinner,'' and certainly that was 
the essence of our great friend, Tip O'Neill.
  Mary and I will forever cherish the friendship we shared with Tip and 
Millie.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. 
Regula] very much.
  I yield now to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Durbin], chairman of 
one of the appropriations committees.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Committee on 
Rules, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley], for yielding. I 
appreciate his calling this special order to pay tribute to a mutual 
friend.
  Madam Speaker, I can recall very well when I returned to Washington 
to attend Tip's funeral, we flew up from Washington to Boston, that I 
found on my desk from Christmas a book of Tip's latest stories that had 
been inscribed, ``Merry Christmas, old pal, Tip O'Neill.'' I thought 
what irony. I am leaving to go to his funeral and seeing this book for 
the first time.
  It is interesting to me that if you wanted to get a caricature of Tip 
O'Neill, you find one every day in the comic pages. There is one comic, 
I cannot recall which one, that has a caricature that looks just like 
him, a big, overweight fellow, with a white mane. I guess for a lot of 
people in America, they look at that caricature and say that that is 
what is wrong with politicians. They are big, out of touch, and just 
are what we thought they would be.
  But that caricature does not tell the story of Tip O'Neill for those 
of us who knew him. The real question was not how a politician fills a 
suit, but what fills his heart. And when it came to Tip O'Neill, it was 
very clear that what filled his heart was his family, his love for the 
common person, and his love for this House of Representatives.
  As one looks back on that event we attended, the funeral in Boston, 
in North Cambridge, I have to salute you, Mr. Moakley, for the fine 
remarks you made that day. But it was a great Irish funeral. Half the 
time we were laughing, and half the time we were crying, remembering 
with touching sincerity all of the comments being made by his family 
and friends, and laughing, too, about what a great man he was.
  I suppose fate has dealt me some cards that I can never really 
account for. But to have been sworn into this institution in January 
1983 by Tip O'Neill is an accident of history that I am just so happy 
that I was able to be a part of. It really set a tone, because you go 
through life as a politician and you meet thousands and thousands of 
other politicians. Few of them stand out. And Tip O'Neill was one of 
them. Hubert Humphrey was another. They had something in common. They 
really loved what they were doing. They really loved serving the people 
in public life. They took the grief that came along with it for a 
chance to do something good and leave a legacy.
  When I heard the Speaker's son get up and give that beautiful, 
beautiful eulogy at that funeral, I understood that Tip O'Neill had 
balanced his life just right. He had a loving family who had 
participated with him throughout public service, and people clamoring 
to get inside that church to be with him in the final moment to pay 
tribute. I guess it tells it all.
  Madam Speaker, I will tell one quick story to close. Again, as the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Hughes] said earlier, we can all tell 
this story.
  The day Tip O'Neill came to my congressional district, it was 4 or 5 
years ago, he had just gone through a serious cancer surgery. He was 
weak, and told me as such. But he said, ``I am coming out to help 
you.'' This was long after he left as Speaker.
  We brought him into town at about 2 in the afternoon for a 4:30 
fundraiser. I said, ``Mr. Speaker, what would you like to do for these 
2\1/2\ hours? Would you like to take a nap or something?''
  ``No, no, no,'' he says. ``I would just like to sit here in the hotel 
room and talk to you.''
  I said, ``What can I get you?''
  He said, ``Some ice water and some cigars.''
  So we got him his cigars, and we got him a pitcher of ice water, and 
he sat there for 2\1/2\ hours, regaling us with all his stories. And my 
staff came and went, just loving every moment of it.
  So at 4:30 we went down for the fundraiser. And he said, ``Now, Dick, 
I have got to tell you, I am getting tired and weak, and I don't know 
how much longer I can go on. So,'' he says, ``I may not be able to 
last. But, believe me, we are going to take care of you.''
  So we sat him down at the table there, and people came by, and he 
signed his book and he shook hands. And I looked up, and every major 
Republican in my hometown had showed up, because they all loved Tip 
O'Neill.
  At about 6 o'clock I said to him, ``Mr. Speaker, now we are going to 
take you upstairs. But all I am going to do is introduce you, the 
briefest introduction you have ever had. You give the briefest 
statement you have ever made to this group of 400 or 500 people, and 
that is all they want.''
  He said fine. So I thought to myself, he looks OK, I think we are 
going to make it.
  I got up, and I gave a 45-second introduction to a man you could have 
spoken 45 minutes about.
  He got up, and I bet you know the end of the story, Joe. He went on 
for about 30 minutes, because here is Tip O'Neill, recovering from 
surgery, getting up in front of a crowd of perfect strangers, telling 
his story, a story that came from the heart. And he had everybody in 
that room, he just had them all. They watched him, and loved him, and 
applauded. And he left. And my family and I just thank fate, thank God, 
and thank Tip O'Neill for his sacrifice for coming forward.
  I would just close by saying this. I hope that we just do not sit 
here and honor the man. I hope we remember what he was all about, not 
being afraid to say I am going to stand up for the little guy; not 
being afraid to say I am going to fight for a program that can make his 
or her life better; not apologizing for Government, not apologizing for 
Congress, saying that we are people, men and women, working hard for 
the right reasons.
  Tip O'Neill is looking down on us now, as I am sure he is always out 
of the corner of his eye watching this House of Representatives from up 
in heaven. And I just want to tell you, a lot of us younger people and 
those who have been in this institution for a while, are going to do 
our best to carry on in his memory.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois.
  I would like to now recognize the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Kaptur].
  Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman, the distinguished chairman of the 
Committee on Rules, from Massachusetts, and thank him for this special 
order this evening. It is with very deep gratitude and respect that I 
rise with my colleagues to offer sympathy to the family of our great 
speaker, Thomas P. O'Neill, and to his wonderful family, and to say to 
them, thank you. We keep you all in our prayers, and we keep him in our 
prayers.
  I am one of the women Members of Congress that the Speaker welcomed 
upon my first and somewhat unexpected election in the year of 1982. His 
ingratiating manner, even in those days, and practical counsel to that 
young woman of 36 years then, will never be forgotten. Learning from 
him was learning from a legend. And for me, it will always be a honor.
  My service in Congress now spans about a dozen years, and I had the 
pleasure of serving with Speaker O'Neill for about half that time. His 
joviality and hard-nosed political advice became part of my early 
service in this Congress. And I have to say he helped me personally 
progress through the painful greening that faces any new Member, 
standing up to the bashes that come your way now and then, the partisan 
rankling, the rather ugly side sometimes of what should be a rather 
lofty enterprise. He was the type of Speaker who took the time to 
shepherd the new members, including the women.
  I can still recall my first encounter with the Speaker, a giant of a 
man, with the largest hands I think I have ever shaken in my life, in 
his private office just off this House floor.
  I was a candidate for office then, and I was so overwhelmed that he 
took the time to schedule me into his day. I had traveled here from 
Ohio to pay a courtesy call on him, and I patiently waited rather 
nervously as his secretary ushered me into his outer office and then 
into his main office.
  He was sitting on the corner of a rather huge wooden desk in a 
beautiful room with a sparkling crystal chandelier. And I cleared my 
throat and said, ``Mr. Speaker, my name is Marcy Kaptur, and I am 
running for Congress in Ohio's Ninth District.'' I looked at him, and 
with a twinkle in his eye and outstretched arms he held out to me, he 
beamed and warmly said to me, ``Come on over here, honey,'' and 
chortled, as only he could. And I knew that this was a friend.
  I hope that the people I know, that the people of Massachusetts and 
our country know, that his leadership and personal support to all of 
our Members helped us maintain heart and voice for the ordinary people 
of our country. His photo still hangs in my office, as it always will. 
The many lessons, large and small, he taught me and others, will follow 
us through our political lives: To love the people of our land, and in 
turn to love politics as the people's business; to retain good humor 
under great pressure; to keep yourself available to the Members of 
Congress as you assume leadership responsibilities. I can still 
remember him setting right here in the front row. He was always there 
for the Members.

                              {time}  1740

  To personally contact those constituents who write you the most 
negative letters, you might learn something and you do. To go back into 
the kitchens at banquets and shake hands with the people who prepared 
the meals at social events and to always say thank you. And not to view 
your job as chiefly one to thwart the other party's initiatives, but 
rather to move the country forward. And importantly, to respect the 
institution of this House, the Congress, and uphold our Constitution no 
matter what the personal cost.
  I learned those lessons from Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill. He spoke of 
his wife Millie so often in meetings. We all thought we knew her and 
were related to her. And with his departure, a certain joy left this 
Congress.
  I feel so fortunate to have served concurrently with one of the 
greatest Speakers of all times. May his family and he be blessed and 
consoled, knowing that what they did and the people of Massachusetts 
did for others bettered our Nation and world.
  I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her fine 
statement.
  Mr. NATCHER. Madam Speaker, during my tenure as a Member of Congress, 
I have had the honor and the privilege of serving with seven Speakers 
and nine Presidents. Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill was always my friend, 
and he not only established the all-time record by serving 10 
consecutive years as Speaker of the House, but he loved and respected 
the most powerful legislative body in the world.
  During his tenure, he established a record that his people can be 
proud of and one that will always be remembered by those who served 
with him. Words are inadequate to fully appraise Tip O'Neill's 
tremendous capacity for loyalty and love of his country. In every 
position he held, either private or public, he achieved distinction. 
His service in all of his assignments was marked by a high sense of 
conscience and duty. His character, his achievements, and his faithful 
service will be an inspiration to generations yet to come.
  He left his mark on Congress, not necessarily through legislation 
which he succeeded in having enacted, but instead through his character 
itself.
  It was a distinct honor and privilege to serve with my friend, Thomas 
P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, Jr. in the Congress of the United States and to his 
lovely wife and family, I extend my deepest sympathy in their 
bereavement.
  Mr. McDADE. Madam Speaker, I thank and commend the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Moakley] for providing this special order in memory 
of our departed colleague, Tip O'Neill.
  Tip was a giant of American politics who will be revered and 
remembered for decades to come. Whether you agreed or disagreed with 
Tip, you had to admire his commitment to bettering the lives of average 
Americans, particularly the elderly and the poor.
  Despite our party differences, I counted Tip as one of my dearest 
friends. Tip could be a tremendous opponent, but those disagreements 
were never personal and were put aside completely on the golf course or 
during the times we traveled together. Tip was a true joy to be around. 
He was a great storyteller, and really enjoyed the camaraderie of his 
colleagues. He loved the institution of Congress, and was proud of the 
positive role government could play in improving the lives of people.
  Tip and I were friends for more than 30 years and to me he embodied 
what is great about our political system. He never lost his love for 
his fellow man and he treated everybody he met the same, regardless of 
his station in life. You got his ear, his attention, and his respect.
  Tip never forgot the wise advice of his father: ``Do the best you can 
for your neighbor. Never forget from where you come. And see if you can 
improve the lot of your fellow man.'' Tip never abandoned that simple 
credo in his public services or his dealings with people.
  Tip O'Neill's death takes from us one of our great public figures, 
and our Nation has suffered a great loss. He came to know many people 
and make many friendships in northeastern Pennsylvania, and he was a 
friend to our region.
  I was delighted when Tip spoke 5 years ago to a large community 
gathering in Scranton. He gave a wonderful speech, and he and his 
lovely wife were awarded honorary degrees from the University of 
Scranton. He was gracious and winning in his experience with the people 
of the Scranton area, and I know that they share my affection for this 
great American.
  My thoughts and prayers go to Tip's wife, Millie, and their five 
children.
  Mr. STOKES. Madam Speaker, I want to express my appreciation to our 
colleague, the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, Congressman 
Joseph Moakley, for reserving this time to honor former House Speaker, 
Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill. I join Joe in expressing my deep sense of 
loss over the passing of this great leader. With his demise, this 
institution and, indeed, the Nation, has lost a good friend and 
champion.
  Madam Speaker, all of us who attended Tip's funeral were pleased with 
the great tribute paid to him by Chairman Moakley. His tribute captured 
Tip, his life, his stories, and his philosophy in such a real and 
humane way that for a few moments we could visually see Tip as he was. 
The humorous stories injected by Chairman Moakley helped us to remember 
Tip, not sadly, but as the jovial, convivial politician that he was--a 
friend to everybody.
  His son, Thomas P. III, also did a marvelous job under what had to be 
difficult circumstances in depicting Tip as we all knew him. The 
combination of the tributes paid to Tip by him and Chairman Moakley 
made Tip's funeral one that he would have enjoyed because they captured 
the essence of his greatness by depicting a man totally in touch with 
the common man.
  Madam Speaker, for many of us gathered in the Chamber this evening, 
Tip O'Neill was more than Speaker of the House. He touched many of our 
lives in a profound way and helped to mold our careers in the Congress. 
Tip O'Neill was a personal and dear friend to me. I will always 
remember the special interest he took in my career.
  It was Speaker O'Neill who selected me to undertake several tough 
committee assignments, including the chairmanship of the House Select 
Committee on Assassinations, the chairmanship of the House Ethics 
Committee, and an appointment to the House Intelligence Committee, 
which I later chaired.
  Madam Speaker, Tip O'Neill was a committed public servant. He held 
elective office for 50 years, including 16 years in the Massachusetts 
Legislature and 34 years in the House. When he retired as Speaker of 
the House in 1986, he had held the post for a longer continuous period 
than any other.
  During the 1980's and Reagan administration, it was Tip O'Neill who 
led our party and was the most powerful voice in defense of the average 
citizen. He not only held the Democratic Party together, but actually 
strengthened its base during this period. Tip O'Neill was a liberal, he 
was a man of his word, and he was never afraid to fight for what he 
believed in.

  Tip O'Neill's service in the Congress is a testament to a man who 
felt that politics was an honorable calling, and viewed elective office 
as a way to bring about improvements in the average citizen's life. His 
Massachusetts constituency will remember him as a dedicated politican 
and a friend who never forgot his roots.
  Madam Speaker, Tip O'Neill was more than a politician or a Speaker of 
the House. He was like a father to many of us. He nurtured us, and 
through his stories for which he was famous, he inculcated us with his 
philosophy of service to one's constituents and thereby, one's country. 
He loved his wife, Millie, politics, Congress, and his country.
  When he retired as Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill was asked how he 
wanted his career to be remembered. He replied that he was someone who 
``came to Washington with a certain set of ideas and he stayed with 
them all the way.''
  Time will accord Speaker Tip O'Neill his rightful place in history as 
one of our greatest Speakers. His integrity, dignity, and lovable 
personality have been permanently etched in the memory of all of us who 
knew him. I will personally miss his favorite greeting whenever we met 
which was, ``Louie, ol' pal.'' Not only was he my pal, but he was the 
Nation's champion for the common man.
  Madam Speaker, I join my friend, Joe Moakley, in expressing our 
condolences to Millie, the children--Thomas P. III, Christopher, 
Michael Tolan, Susan, and Rosemary--and other members of the O'Neill 
family. The loss of Speaker Tip O'Neill affected us all. We take 
comfort in knowing that his memory will never be forgotten.
  Mr. CRANE. Madam Speaker, the House of Representatives will never 
know another Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill.
  Tip O'Neill gave 34 years of his life to this institution which he 
came to love. And his service included an unequaled 10 consecutive 
years as Speaker.
  And while he rose to what some contend is the second most powerful 
position in our Government, he never forgot his Boston roots. He 
professionally linked the connection between Washington and Boston by 
noting, ``All politics is local.''
  Tip O'Neill was a dedicated Democrat. He believed his party had the 
answers to the Nation's needs and ills. And while we disagreed with him 
many, many times, we never doubted the sincerity with which he held his 
beliefs in the party of his choice.
  Tip O'Neill was a fighter, and yet, he was a kind person. He fought 
for his beliefs with every ounce of his beefy figure, even as he 
embraced a needy friend or stranger with every ounce of his huge heart.
  Tip O'Neill brought his heart to this body, and he takes ours with 
him to eternity.
  Mr. YATES. Madam Speaker, today we mourn the death of a great Speaker 
of this House. Everyone who believes in representative government and 
the democratic process is indebted to Tip O'Neill and I am honored to 
have been his friend and colleague for more than 40 years.
  Tip was, of course, a vastly talented and gifted legislator but the 
quality that lifted him to greatness was the basic, thoroughgoing 
humanity of the man. From his first day in public life to the last, Tip 
O'Neill believed that the fundamental purpose of government was to meet 
the needs of people who cannot help themselves. The press in recent 
years has tended to call the O'Neill approach to government old 
fashioned liberalism but I can tell you that Tip O'Neill stood for 
principled, humane government and for policies that made sense for this 
country, and he was right. His battle for these ideas is his splendid 
legacy and I am very proud to have served here with him.
  I remember well his opposition to the Vietnam war. He and I were 
among the earliest opponents of that tragedy and Tip took his stand 
when President Johnson and the war were quite popular in his district. 
He was never more right than on that issue and the people of Cambridge 
continued to support him. His leadership of the House and the 
Democratic Party during the Reagan years when the Senate was Republican 
and the forces of untempered capitalism were in full bloom will, I 
predict, be remembered by historians as a remarkable example of 
courageous and effective action by a Speaker.
  Probably no one since FDR enjoyed the political process more that Tip 
O'Neill. He was a marvelous blend of humor, kindness, forcefulness, 
thoughtful action, and an altogether delightful human being. I mourn 
his loss and extend my heartfelt condolences to Millie and the O'Neill 
family.
  Mr. COYNE. Madam Speaker, I want to pay tribute to the memory of 
Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, a man who will long be ranked among the 
greatest Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  I will always recall with pleasure the fact that Speaker O'Neill 
administered the oath of office for Members of the House when I began 
my service in the House in 1980. Speaker O'Neill represented to me the 
very model of what a Congressman should be. He was a man who knew his 
district in Boston not simply as blocs of voters but as friends and 
neighbors. His famous line--``All politics is local''--reminded many of 
the simple truth that the views and priorities of local voters should 
always be kept first in the minds of Members of Congress. He taught me 
the importance of never forgetting the fact that I may serve in 
Washington but my home will always be with friends and neighbors in 
Pittsburgh.
  Speaker O'Neill was a partisan Democrat in the finest sense of the 
term. He believed intensely in the idea that principles do matter and 
that elected officials and political parties must at times struggle 
aggressively to defend and promote the principles on which they 
campaign. Tip O'Neill was also a man who understood the fact that 
political differences did not and should not lead automatically to 
personal conflict. He was a man who could argue all day with a 
political opponent about an issue without questioning that individual's 
integrity or character.
  Tip O'Neill came to symbolize for millions of Americans the office of 
the Speaker of the House. This was especially true during the 1980's 
when Speaker O'Neill led the Democratic Party and the House majority in 
opposition to many of the Reagan administration's policies. Working men 
and women and urban communities like Pittsburgh owe Speaker O'Neill a 
great debt of gratitude for his efforts to defend their interests from 
the worst effects of the Reagan administration's domestic policies.
  Speaker O'Neill was a man of the people, as was appropriate for the 
people's chamber. He had the demeanor of the regular guy next door at a 
time when the news media and political pundits celebrated a telegenic 
appearance and the Madison Avenue approach to politics. Still, Tip 
O'Neill conveyed his message to the vast majority of Americans with a 
conviction, and simple eloquence that produced results.
  Speaker O'Neill has earned his place in the history of the United 
States. His charm, personal conviction, and political skills will long 
be remembered fondly here in the U.S. House. Tip O'Neill set an example 
of what is best in a public servant and the most appropriate tribute we 
can pay him is to aspire to those high standards.
  Mr. FORD of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my 
colleagues in paying tribute to our friend, former colleague and 
Speaker, Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, who passed away on Janury 5, 1994.
  It has been said that Tip was born to partisan politics. His father 
was a Cambridge, MA, city councilman who picketed Harvard University 
for hiring nonunion construction workers. As a boy, Tip mowed the lawns 
of Harvard Yard for pocket change, never dreaming that years later, on 
the 350th anniversary celebration of the university, he would deliver 
the keynote address as its honored speaker.
  Tip was a graduate of St. John's High School and of his beloved 
Boston College. He worked as an insurance executive before entering 
politics. At the age of 23 he was elected to the Massachusetts 
Legislature, and became its youngest speaker at the age of 37. He took 
John F. Kennedy's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1952, 
and was quickly taken under the wing of Representative John McCormack 
of Boston, later Speaker himself.
  Tip rose through the House leadership ranks rapidly. He was majority 
whip in the 92d Congress, majority leader in the 93d and 94th 
Congresses and Speaker until his retirement at the end of the 99th 
Congress, setting a record for the longest continuous service as 
Speaker of the House. In doing so, Tip raised the stature of the office 
of the Speaker and the entire House of Representatives.
  Tip was simply a great Member of Congress. He saw it as his 
responsibility to represent the people of the Eighth District of 
Massachusetts by sticking to the ideals for which they elected him. 
These principles found him in agreement with Presidents as well as up 
against them. When Tip agreed with the administration, it was because 
their stance conformed with his deeply held principles and values. When 
he disagreed with the President it was with the grace and courage of a 
true statesman. Few will forget that Tip was one of the first in the 
Democratic leadership to break with Lyndon Johnson over the Vietnam 
war--a courageous move in light of the mood of the day, and of his 
constituents back home. Whether or not one agreed with Tip on a 
particular issue, and as partisan as he could be, he was always honest 
and fair to his colleagues.
  When Republicans took the White House and the Senate in 1980, Tip 
suddenly found himself as the Nation's No. 1 Democrat, and often lonely 
defender against the Reagan administration's assault on liberalism and 
big government. Some in that administration tried to paint Tip as a 
figure straight from central casting--the portly, cigar-chomping big 
city machine pol standing in the way of an enormously popular President 
bent on changing business as usual.
  Tip was initially shaken when some Democrats joined President Reagan 
in slashing social programs and passing massive Pentagon buildup and 
trickle down economic plans. But he fought back with the tenacity of a 
prizefighter, using both old and new political techniques to forge a 
formidable opposition.
  Madam Speaker, the newspaper stories I have read over these past 
weeks have called Tip's passing the end of an era. In a sense, that 
epitaph is true, and it is a shame. Unlike today, where style too often 
supplants political substance, and the latest polls, deeply held 
convictions, Tip was constant in his beliefs. He was, above all, a 
liberal and a politician, unashamed by either of those terms, who 
viewed politics as a way to ensure that those in our society who were 
most in need and most overlooked--the poor, the elderly, the 
disenfranchised, the mentally and physically disabled--were not 
forgotten. Despite the international recognition to which he rose, Tip 
simply never forgot the people who sent him here, and why.
  Tip O'Neill was in many ways, larger than life. Much has, and will be 
said about him, and his distinguished record of accomplishment. I 
recall often the good fortune I had to work closely with Tip to include 
in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Amendments of 1980 an 
authorization for the establishment of the Thomas P. O'Neill Library at 
Boston College. I later attended the dedication of that facility with 
Tip and his family, and still remember how happy he was at seeing that 
wonderful asset added to the university.
  Madam Speaker, Tip O'Neill embodied a dedication to public service 
and a caring for others that helped make America great. He leaves 
behind a legacy of commitment and dedication to others that will endure 
for years to come. The people of this Nation, and the little guy 
everywhere lost a champion with the passing of Tip O'Neill.
  The many kindnesses extended to me by Tip over the years are far too 
numerous for me to recount for this record. But every single one of 
them came from his heart. I will remember and appreciate them for the 
rest of my life.
  I join my colleagues in this much-deserved tribute to Tip, and in 
extending my most heartfelt condolences to his wife, Millie, and the 
entire O'Neill family.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in this 
special tribute to our friend--and our former Speaker--Tip O'Neill. I 
admired him very much for his passion and his unparalleled dedication 
to his home and his district. The natural result of that passion and 
dedication was the oft-quoted philosophy of Speaker O'Neill, ``All 
politics is local.''
  I worked with Speaker O'Neill very briefly, but like everyone else 
who happened to be in the Speaker's company, I felt the comfort he 
constantly radiated. No matter who was in his presence, he was a master 
at making people feel comfortable. That is an admirable trait, one that 
is indispensable in a public servant.
  I remember the first meeting I had with Speaker O'Neill. I was going 
to ask to be put on the Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and 
Control. Since I was a brandnew Member and he was the Speaker, I was a 
little bit nervous. When he asked me why I wanted to sit on that 
committee, I told him about having been a law enforcement officer with 
an ongoing interest in the narcotics trade in the United States.
  At that point, his interest in my committee assignment became 
apparent. He told me that it was important to the institution of 
Congress that the concerns of law enforcement be represented on this 
important committee. I was pleased and proud when he told me right then 
that he would support my membership on that select committee.
  While the select committee was disbanded due to fiscal considerations 
early in this Congress, my service on the Narcotics Committee was very 
important to me. I still stay abreast of issues that relate to 
narcotics and possible solutions to the problems we face on that front 
today. I know that Speaker O'Neill would be pleased by that.
  Mr. BRYANT. Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank Chairman 
Moakley for reserving this time so that we may honor Speaker O'Neill's 
memory.
  When I was elected to serve in the 98th Congress in 1982, I found I 
was privileged to serve under Speaker O'Neill for 4 years. I thereby 
benefited from his advice and counsel in that time. Like so many of us, 
I have countless memories of Tip's humanity and leadership. Remember 
the way he would pull us aside during legislative battles, put his arm 
around us, and in the most eloquent fashion tell us what was right. 
Aside from his leadership and guidance. I know it is Tip's friendship 
that I will miss the most.
  I will always remember Tip as being generous, family true to his 
beliefs and blessed with a natural ability to lead. Tip was a great 
husband and father, a great speaker and leader, but more important, a 
great friend. He will be forever missed by us all.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness but deep 
fondness that I recall the memory of our former colleague and Speaker, 
Thomas P. ``Tip'' a friend.
  Tip loved public service and he loved the House. He truly believed in 
the people he served. Several times he came to my district of Dayton, 
OH and he was always a hit--not just because he was the powerful 
Speaker of the House, but because he poured out friendship and warmth.
  He presided over the House at a time of great change in the direction 
of our Federal Government. As the Nation's top Democrat, he exercised 
judgment and compassion in steering Congress in new directions. He 
never forgot that our purpose was to serve all Americans and that the 
weak, the poor, and the needy must be remembered.
  At the end of my first term in the House, Tip appointed me to a 
coveted spot on the Rules Committee. I was impressed that he put his 
faith in me when I was no new to this institution. I hope that in the 
years that followed I have lived up to his trust and his ideals of 
service.
  Mr. STUDDS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American, a 
great leader and a great friend, former Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill. Tip 
was famous for his phrase, ``all politics is local,'' but his impact 
was much more than local. His work on behalf of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts is legendary, but as one of the most distinguished 
Speakers of this century, his contributions to the country loom just as 
large.
  He restored honor to politics. To him, the phrase ``public servant,'' 
meant just that: serving the public. He never forgot where he came 
from, or that he was in politics to help people who needed it.
  And the people did not forget him. There has been an incredible 
outpouring of genuine affection for Tip since his death last month. 
Everyone, it seems, has a story about Tip, of how he touched them.
  People in my own congressional district are no exception. In 
December, just before his death, he helped arrange for food, clothing, 
and toys to be given to a food pantry in the town of Harwich on his 
adopted home of Cape Cod so needy families could have a nicer 
Christmas. After he died, his family asked that memorial contributions 
be sent to the pantry. In a little more than 2 weeks, more than $11,000 
was donated to the pantry in his memory. The checks came from all over 
the country: from his beloved hometown of North Cambridge, from here in 
Washington, and from Wyoming, Wisconsin, Virginia, and every place in 
between.
  Tip, we salute you. You were indeed a gentleman, a true ``man of the 
House.'' We'll miss you, but we'll never forget you.
  Mr. KLECZKA. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a few moments to pay 
my respects to the late Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill.
  As a Member of the House who had the honor of being sworn in by 
Speaker O'Neill, I have always had a special fondness and respect for 
him, and it was with great sadness that I made the trip up to Boston a 
few weeks ago to say goodbye.
  Over the past few weeks, many kind words have been spoken and written 
about Tip. It is no secret what his strengths and weaknesses were, but 
the real secret may be the secret of his success. In an era of sound-
bitten, telegenic politics, Tip O'Neill rose to power with his big 
frame, his gray hair, and his cigar in full view. He was not an 
eloquent orator, but you knew where he stood on the issues; and that 
was frequently ahead of the pack and not behind focus groups and public 
opinion polls.
  His politics were motivated by his deep concern for the people, and 
how the policies of this country would affect them. In spite of his 
power and fame, he never forgot his roots, never forgot who and what 
got him here. The secret of his success was that Tip O'Neill never 
stopped being himself, never stopped being real, and that is the lesson 
for us all.
  I end my remarks not with a classic Tip story, but with a note to the 
current Members of the House Tip loved so dearly. This is an 
institution capable of great things, and we did more in the last 
session than I think Tip thought was imaginable. Let us continue in 
that same vein of serving the interests of the people above all else.
  Tip would expect no more, and we should honor his legacy by 
accomplishing no less.
  Mr. QUILLEN. Madam Speaker, my colleagues and I rise today to express 
our sadness at the passing of our beloved former colleague, and my dear 
friend, Tip O'Neill. Although Speaker O'Neill has left us, he lives on 
through his cherished memory and through his contributions to public 
life, particularly this institution that he loved so well.
  I first got to know Tip when I was appointed to the Rules Committee 
in 1965. At that time, the legendary Judge Howard Smith was still the 
chairman of the committee, which Tip had been a member of since the 
Democrats regained control of the House 10 years earlier. The Rules 
Committee has always been the most partisan committee in the House, and 
Tip freely admitted that the only reason he was there was because he 
could be counted on to toe the party line.
  However, in those days, the committee met around a long oval table, 
so that junior members like Tip and myself sat facing one another, 
instead of on opposite ends of the room. This both promoted 
collegiality and created fast friendships that would last for decades. 
I always knew that Tip O'Neill was a man of his word whose heart was as 
big as his expansive personality.
  Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., was born on December 9, 1912, in North 
Cambridge, MA, where he would live all his life. From an early age, it 
was obvious that politics was his true calling, and he was elected to 
the Massachusetts State Legislature, called the Great and General 
Court, at 24, to begin an unbroken 50-year career in elective office. 
He rose to become the speaker of the legislature at 36, and he replaced 
John F. Kennedy in the U.S. House of Representatives at 40.
  Using his Rules Committee position to get to know other Members of 
the House, and was appointed majority whip in 1971. The next year, upon 
Hale Boggs's tragic death, he became majority leader. In 1977, he was 
sworn in as the Speaker of the House, a position which he was to hold 
for 10 years and to which he would strengthen and bring new prestige 
and respect.
  Tip O'Neill was possibly the best storyteller that this body has ever 
produced, and many of his best stories were contained in his excellent 
book, ``Man of the House.'' When Tip left us last month, the House of 
Representatives lost a man who was the keeper of this body's 
institutional memory, and we are left with stories of him.
  To me, Tip O'Neill was a symbol of a bygone period in the House, when 
comity and personal friendships were more important than constant 
partisanship. I miss this time very much, just as I will always miss 
Tip's leadership, his generosity, and his friendship. My heartfelt 
condolences go out to his dear wife Millie and the rest of his 
extensive and loving family.
  Mr. de la Garza. Madam Speaker, ``Keep your speeches short and the 
audience will remember what you had to say.''
  Madam Speaker, that was among the rules of politics of one of your 
great predecessors, the late former Speaker Tip O'Neill. In rising to 
remember him today, perhaps the highest honor anyone can do him is to 
follow that dictum--although the desire to talk at length about such a 
well-liked and influential man can, indeed, be great.
  In his 34 years of serving in the House, Speaker O'Neill became 
perhaps its most enduring figure since the death in 1961 of former 
Speaker Sam Rayburn, of my home State of Texas. ``A Man of the House,'' 
as Speaker O'Neill liked to call himself, he never forget where he came 
from or why he was here, and he endeared himself to colleagues on both 
side of the aisle.
  His legacy will surely endure.
  Mr. MANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Speaker, 
the Honorable Thomas P. Tip O'Neill, Jr. ``Tip'' O'Neill was a great 
and admirable man who had the personality and character that made him a 
magnificent leader--someone we will never forget. He taught this body 
and this Nation during his 50 years of public service.
  One of the many lessons he taught us is that, ``All politics is 
local.'' Tip never forgot where he came from--he never forgot his roots 
and the people who elected him to office every 2 years. He taught us 
that, ``The art of politics is compromise.'' Whether it's the President 
trying to get a bill passed, or the Speaker settling a fight between 
two committee chairmen, the essential ingredient of politics is 
compromise. He taught us that political compromise is not compromising 
your morals or principles, but deferring your idea so a majority can be 
reached. He taught us that compromise means appealing to one's 
conscience, patriotism, and, above all, loyalty.
  Tip O'Neill was the first American Speaker to visit Ireland. During 
the past 20 years, he was a constant voice for peace and reconciliation 
in Northern Ireland. As an Irish-American myself, I will not forget his 
work toward peace in that great land.
  Although I was only able to serve under Tip's leadership for 2 years, 
he left an indelible mark that I will carry for the rest of my life. He 
was caring, compassionate, and so decent--a man who did so much for so 
many. Tip O'Neill personified the American Politic; he was definitely 
the ``Man of the House,'' but he was also a man of the world, a leader 
that will never be forgotten.
  To his devoted wife, Millie, to his children and grandchildren, words 
could never express our deep sense of loss. We will miss Tip terribly, 
but we must remember how enriched we have all become, because we know 
him, the Honorable Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, Jr.
  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, although I did not have the privilege to 
serve in the House of Representatives with Speaker ``Tip'' O'Neill, I 
reserve a special place in my heart for the memory of this great man 
and extraordinary leader.
  Speaker O'Neill had a deep and clear understanding of what it meant 
to be a Representative.
  He loved this institution and made it a better place.
  More important, he loved America and did everything in his power to 
make it a better place for all of us.
  Throughout his tenure as a Member of Congress and as the Speaker, he 
held true to the belief that every American should have the opportunity 
to get an education, buy a home, and have a decent job.
  He was compassionate and caring, yet fully understood the reality of 
politics, which includes vigorous give and take.
  Having come to the House from a long tenure in local government 
myself, his famous quote, ``All politics is local,'' endeared him to me 
even more.
  What made him such a great public servant is the humble understanding 
that no matter how high you rise in public office, the true test of 
your achievements still lies in what you have accomplished at home for 
the people we are privileged to represent.
  I believe ``Tip'' O'Neill was a great man because he was a good man. 
He genuinely enjoyed people. While he had many political battles, on 
the day he left the House he had no enemies. He was what the Irish call 
``A fine spring rain of a man.''
  Madam Speaker, I know when ``Tip'' O'Neill passed from us the angels 
greeted him in his high place in heaven.
  I want to thank my colleague from Massachusetts, Mr. Moakley, for 
arranging this time for his dear friend, Speaker O'Neill, and recognize 
all he has done to remember him these past weeks.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, in an era of the antipolitician, Thomas 
P. ``Tip'' O'Neill was a politician, and he was proud of it. During his 
more than three decades in the House, and especially during his 10 
years as Speaker, Tip loved to press the flesh with his 434 colleagues 
here, but he enjoyed even more the interaction with the little people 
back home in the polyglot Eighth District of Massachusetts. Tip 
believed that Government had an important role to play in helping those 
little people--the dispossessed, the unlucky, those with few advantages 
in life.
  Tip put this philosophy into practice on a personal level by lending 
a helping hand to the needy back in Boston. Legislatively, even in the 
eighties, when it was sometimes not popular to support expansive social 
programs, Tip persisted. For a time, he paid a price, becoming the 
target of national television ads portraying him as a bloated political 
relic. But long before he retired in 1987, he had won over even his 
ideological opponents who, if they did not agree with him, at least 
admired him for his honesty in sticking to his guns.
  Tip was well known for his motto, ``all politics is local,'' and he 
was a master of grassroots politics. But he never shied away from 
domestic and international issues, from Vietnam to Watergate to Central 
America. He was a driving force behind congressional reform legislation 
in the 1980's.
  Tip's legacy--from Somerville to Seattle--is not just that he had the 
longest unbroken tenure ever as Speaker of the House. It is that of a 
politician of the old school who succeeded during a new political era. 
It is that of a powerful, change-oriented leader who retired as a 
revered figure--both in this Chamber and around the Nation.
  Tip and I shared the same roots for he represented my home district 
in Massachusetts and I represented him in his home away from home in 
Maryland. To the many moving tributes we heard at his funeral service, 
I add my admiration and prayers. I extend my condolences to Millie and 
the family. Tip will be missed, but he will live on in love.
  Mr. BLILEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great 
American--a man who was a respected colleague and true friend of mine. 
The recent passing of former Speaker Tip O'Neill has left a void not 
only in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.
  Some may wonder just exactly what two white-haired guys from 
completely opposite sides of the political aisle could possibly have in 
common? How could a Southern conservative and a Yankee liberal forge 
such a long-lasting friendship?
  Well, my fellow Members, I guess I'm living proof that opposites do 
attract. But moreover, this fine gentleman from Massachusetts and I 
shared a common respect and trust for this institution and most 
importantly, for the people we represent.
  On many occasions, the Speaker and I may have found little common 
ground on which to agree. But, we both respected the process--the true 
spirit of debate--and we put our faith in the American people.
  I will miss this decent and honorable man--a man who would fight for 
what he believed was right, but also a companion who knew a good 
Virginia cigar when he saw one.
  In closing, Tip, I just want to say ``thanks.'' Thanks for your 
tireless efforts and your loyal commitment to this House, this 
Government, and this Nation--your hard work certainly did not go 
unnoticed.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I join my fellow colleagues today 
in paying tribute to a former colleague who was not simply a Member of 
this institution, but he was an institution himself. Of course, I am 
speaking of the tragic passing away of former Speaker of the House 
Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, which is a tremendous loss to all of us.
  When I first was elected to the House of Representatives and arrived 
here as a freshman, I learned very quickly who was in charge of this 
place. Tip exercised firm control over the House, but he always brought 
dignity to this institution. He held this place together with the 
authority of a stern father, but balanced that with the respect of a 
student of history.
  Tip had the remarkable ability of fulfilling his responsibilities in 
Washington, while still remaining in touch with the voters he 
represented. He taught us all a great deal about remembering that we 
are here as public servants and what we do here should always reflect 
that.
  I realize I am not alone in expressing condolences to the family, but 
I do wish to join the others in expressing my deepest sympathy. The 
memories Tip left will live on as a example to all those who have the 
privilege of serving in the people's house--a job Tip cherished.
  Mr. GOODLING. Madam Speaker, Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill was a man of 
many accomplishments. It is with sadness and respect that I pay tribute 
to such a distinguished man and colleague. He will always be recognized 
as a great citizen who served his country in a distinctive manner for 
many years. For 50 years he held an elected office, 34 of those years 
being in the U.S. House of Representatives. He will be remembered as 
one of the most outstanding people to ever serve in the history of 
American Government.
  The mark of a great leader is one who is able to communicate to his 
constituents exactly which direction they are headed. Mr. O'Neill was 
able to do this effectively. He always knew which direction he was 
headed and where he stood and so did we.
  Full of self-confidence and charm, he was well-liked and respected by 
everyone. Mr. O'Neill liked to say that ``politics is an honorable 
calling.'' This philosophy of his would lead him to become a memorable 
Speaker of the House for 10 years.
  He was committed to serving his constituents and considered for the 
phrase, ``all politics is local.'' Even though he was at the very 
height of political power and easily interacted with other successful 
world leaders, he remained close to his roots, never forgetting where 
he came from.
  He was a great listener and a risk taker who proved both of these 
characteristics to be an asset to his personality. Most importantly, 
Tip was a man of his word. When he gave you his word, it was golden.
  He leaves behind his beloved wife Mildred Ann (Miller); two 
daughters, Rosemary and Susan; and three sons, Thomas III, Christopher, 
and Michael. The family, his colleagues, and the Nation is deeply 
saddened by the loss of this great man. He will be missed but more than 
that he will be remembered fondly.

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