[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]

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

  (Mr. PENNY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PENNY. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to join in tribute to 
our departed friend and former colleague, Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts.
  I came to Congress in 1982, as a freshman Member, and remember fondly 
my first meeting with Speaker O'Neill.
  I shared with him a story about his visit to Minnesota during the 
campaign season in 1982. We had a brief encounter at that time, not one 
that I think made much of an impact on the Speaker. But I told him who 
I was and that I was campaigning against a Republican incumbent.
  I mentioned the name of the incumbent and said, ``You know who he is, 
don't you?''
  And the Speaker said, ``Well, yes, I know the name, but frankly, I 
don't know much about him.''
  So on my first day in office in 1983, I wanted to make sure that I 
got to know the new Speaker so that when asked by reporters or 
constituents in years hence, he would say, ``Yes, I know your 
Congressman.''
  I cannot say that our political agenda was always in sync. Tip was 
true to his district; I was true to mine. Dramatic differences between 
his district in Boston, MA, and my district in rural southern 
Minnesota. But we did share a common belief that public service is an 
important calling. We did share a common view that in politics, process 
does matter and that there ought to be fair treatment for opposing 
points of view.
  I delight in acknowledging that during Speaker O'Neill's tenure, 
better than 70 percent of the legislation brought to the floor was 
brought to the floor under fair and open rules. And I think it improves 
the tenor of our legislative process to conduct ourselves in that 
fashion.
  I will always remember his style of leadership with great fondness, 
and I treasure the fact that in early December I had an opportunity to 
join him briefly for breakfast here in the Capitol building. I will 
always feel blessed that I had that one last opportunity to be and to 
speak with Tip O'Neill, a great American. We will not soon forget his 
example of leadership.

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