[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HONORABLE WILLIAM H. NATCHER

                                 ______


                               speech of

                          HON. JAMES T. WALSH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 1994

  Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, trying to say something out of the ordinary 
about a person who was anything but ordinary is a very difficult thing 
to do. So many of my colleagues have already risen to offer very 
special and personal praise about Chairman Bill Natcher. Many of them 
knew the wonderful gentleman from Kentucky far better than I, yet every 
member who simply met him felt he had a special friend.
  Right after my election to the House in 1988, I came to Washington to 
participate in the freshman orientation program. Our class had the 
opportunity to listen to various Members of House leadership who came 
to explain what we should expect as a Member of the House of 
Representatives. Every speaker left us with something to ponder, but no 
one left a more lasting impression than Bill Natcher. His voice was 
crystal clear and he spoke with the deep affection of one who truly 
loved his association with the House. His message was so simple, yet 
holds as true today as it did then: You are given the honor to serve by 
the people of your district. Never dishonor that special trust, work 
hard, and always tell the truth even if it might hurt you on occasion. 
And, most importantly, never forget your family. He pointed to the 
major evil of reelection, namely money. People spend too much time both 
raising and then spending it. The public deserves better, he said.
  What a message. What vision. And more importantly, how true. Here was 
a man way ahead of his time and at that point in his career he was 
almost 80 years of age.
  Every institution or company tends to have certain individuals who 
are frankly the envy, in the most positive sense of the word, of all 
their colleagues. Bill Natcher was the envy of all of us because no one 
could hold a candle to his special relationship to this House. He was 
known by the support people at all levels. He spoke to everyone and 
everyone spoke to him. That warm smile, the hand on your shoulder 
offering encouragement, the willingness to always help--that was this 
wonderful man.
  The public may not hold the Congress in high esteem, as every poll 
indicates, but if they ever met Bill that opinion would rapidly change. 
There are two men in my life who I can honestly say represent 
everything a public servant should be in elective service. They both 
have the same first name and carry the badge of honesty, integrity and 
fairness with a quite dignity recognized by their fellow citizens. One 
is my father. The other is Bill Natcher.
  There is an old Irish proverb that says, ``The fox never found a 
better messenger than himself.'' This institution was blessed for many 
years by a very special fox who lived his life as an example for all of 
us. We should never forget him and I, for one, never will.

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