[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 14 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               TRIBUTE TO THOMAS P. ``TIP'' O'NEILL, JR.

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. PETER T. KING

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 1994

  Mr. KING. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the memory of one of 
the true giants of this body, Speaker of the House the Honorable Thomas 
P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, Jr.
  Tip O'Neill first came to Congress during the administration of 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt and retired as Speaker of the House during 
Ronald Reagan's second term. He served the people of Massachusetts and 
the United States during 50 of the most turbulent, tragic, exciting, 
and glorious years in American history. He served under--or as he would 
quickly point out--with nine Presidents.
  As a fellow Irish-American, I am proud of Tip O'Neill's outstanding 
achievements. For me, Tip O'Neill personified the very heart of Irish-
America, embodying through his life the story of the Irish in America, 
and the great success we have been fortunate to attain.
  Tip O'Neill often played nemesis to an American hero whom I hold in 
the highest esteem: President Ronald Reagan. Although there were any 
number of issues on which Speaker O'Neill and I would have been at odds 
over, there is no one in politics or government who does not admire him 
for his years of dedicated public service. I am proud to serve in a 
body that remains very much touched by Tip O'Neill's legacy.
  His oft-repeated admonition that ``all politics is local,'' is one of 
the central truths of our democratic system. Tip O'Neill never forgot 
where he came from, never failed to do his utmost to help the people of 
his home district, and never forgot who sent him to Congress. Most 
importantly, from everyone whom I have spoken to who knew Tip O'Neill, 
it is clear that he never took himself seriously--his job, yes, but not 
himself. That's a rare trait in Congress today. For these reasons I was 
proud to add my name as a cosponsor of House Resolution 329, which will 
designate 1994 as a year to honor the memory of Thomas P. ``Tip'' 
O'Neill, Jr. His dedication to faithfully representing his constituents 
and to remaining true to his principles, are qualities to which I 
strive to live up to.

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