[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 21, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 21, 1994]



                       IN MEMORY OF BILLY MEEHAN

                                 ______


                         HON. JOSEPH M. McDADE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 21, 1994

  Mr. McDADE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who was 
a community leader, a voice of the people and a friend to all who knew 
him, Mr. William A. ``Billy'' Meehan, of Philadelphia, PA. Billy 
unexpectedly passed away on September 13 at the age of 69.
  Some of my colleagues may have heard Billy Meehan described as the 
heart of the Philadelphia Republican Party, or as a master political 
organizer, or as a key figure in Pennsylvania politics. He was those 
things, but he was also much, much more.
  Billy Meehan was one of those rare individuals who could mobilize and 
communicate human feelings and human emotions to drive the body 
politic. Billy took the time to listen, to get to know people, to 
understand them and make them understood by city councils, mayors, 
members of Congress, and Presidents. He brought his keen insight, sharp 
mind, and legendary wit to every conversation. Above all, he was a man 
who was true to his word--a promise from Billy was a promise kept.
  Billy Meehan was a mosaic of the qualities which comprise true 
leadership. And a leader he was. He inspired lifelong loyalty from the 
rank-and-file volunteers and the nationally known officials in the 
Philadelphia Republican organization. He made sure the city's voters 
had a choice of candidates in every precinct and every race, recruiting 
and convincing Republicans to run no matter how large the Democratic 
registration advantage was. For the past four decades, Billy's 
Republican Party earned some improbable wins on election night and held 
an influence far greater than its numbers in a city where Democrats 
hold a 4-to-1 advantage.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with my colleagues some 
observations about Billy Meehan made by columnist John M. Baer in the 
Philadelphia Daily News of September 19:

       Meehan was a force in politics by the strength of his word 
     and the power of presence, ongoing and rock-solid. His 
     influence in Philadelphia was steady and substantial, built 
     over decades, firmly rooted in his personal reliability . . . 
     Politics--even government--needs people like Meehan to 
     function as well as it does. People who get things done. Hold 
     things together.

  Mr. Speaker, Billy Meehan left us a considerable political legacy. I 
am proud to count myself among the many thousands of friends who will 
always remember his charm, his honesty, and his sense of humor. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in expressing our condolences to the family to 
which he was so devoted: his wife, Elizabeth J. Meehan; daughters 
Patricia A. Sinnott, Marianne DiDonato, Catharine Hass, Margaret Mary 
Meehan, and Elizabeth J. Meehan; sons William A. Meehan Jr., Michael 
Meehan, Christopher J. Meehan, and Austin A. Meehan; his 2 brothers, 3 
sisters, and 18 grandchildren.

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