[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 147 (Tuesday, November 29, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: November 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  2010
 
 TRIBUTE TO MICHIGAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THE LATE HONORABLE DOMINIC 
                               JACOBETTI

  THE SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Browder). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Stupak] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my 
political mentors and my dear friend--Neguanee Representative Dominic 
Jacobetti. ``Jake'', as he is known to those of us in Michigan, passed 
away yesterday morning. I want to talk tonight about Jake's life and 
what he did for those of us who live in the Upper Peninsula. Some joke 
that the former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee had a 
heart as big as the State treasury because of Jake's unyielding desire 
to steer tax dollars to the Upper Peninsula. But, in my mind, that is a 
downstate view. I believe Jake had a heart as big as the Upper 
Peninsula--because that is who he worked for. He worked for us. Jake 
always believed that the powers-that-be in Lansing overlooked the Upper 
Peninsula, and he was determined to do everything he could to help the 
people who live in our region of Michigan.
  When I first arrived in Lansing as a freshman representative from the 
109th district, I experienced firsthand Jake's kindness, integrity, and 
decency. The chairman didn't have to help me, he didn't have to answer 
my questions--but he did. He was always willing to take the time from 
his schedule to explain to me the legislative process, or assist me in 
securing grants and projects for the people of my district. He didn't 
have to help out this young freshman, especially when you think that 
Jake was first elected 40 years ago, 2 years after I was born. But he 
did help, because Jake cared so deeply about the people who make up the 
Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
  Dominic Jacobetti was the longest serving legislator in Michigan 
ever. He was first elected to the Michigan House in 1954 and was re-
elected 20 more times, most recently on November 8, 1994, when he won 
with 70 percent of the vote.
  Shortly before the election, I had the great honor and privilege of 
hearing Jake address a campaign rally one more time. Vice President Al 
Gore was in Marquette stumping for me and our Upper Peninsula 
Democratic delegation--which by the way--all successfully were re-
elected. Although we all knew he was ill, everyone in that room could 
tell that Jake had the fire in his belly. He really had the crowd fired 
up and it made all of us feel good to see him and hear him in action 
once again. As usual, Jake spoke of his beliefs about helping people 
and his beliefs about helping the Upper Peninsula.
  To the day he passed away, Dominic Jacobetti best exemplified why 
people should go into public service--to help those who are less 
fortunate. His distinguished career is marked by helping others. 
Whether it was veterans or students at Northern Michigan University--
Dominic Jacobetti believed in helping people.
  There is no better example of Jake's work than his effort to 
spearhead the drive to locate Michigan's second veteran's facility in 
the Upper Peninsula. The Marquette facility, which bears Jake's name--
the D.J. Jacobetti Michigan Veterans Facility is more than a place that 
assists Upper Peninsula veterans. It is also a symbol of who Jake 
worked for and why he worked for them. He worked for the people of the 
Upper Peninsula and he worked for them because they needed Jake.
  At its inception the Jacobetti Center had 152 beds, but Jake and the 
veterans soon realized that the facility couldn't keep up with the 
demand/so Jake convinced the Department of Public Health to authorize 
190 beds. Now, with over 250 beds and specialized units to care for 
veterans with such diseases, such as Alzheimer's. The Jacobetti Center 
is an epitaph for the man who it is named after/and the work that he 
successfully accomplished for those he cared about--veterans, seniors, 
and those less fortunate than Jake.
  In 1989, I had the privilege of filling in for Jake during a speaking 
engagement at the American Legion Conference in Escanaba. Although 
Escanaba wasn't in Jake's district, he treated the people there/as if 
they were. He treated them with the same decency and honor as he 
treated everyone, who he came in contact with. That day in 1989, after 
I finished speaking about Dominic Jacobetti, the Jacobetti Center and 
the American Legion, the Legionaries gave me a standing ovation. I 
attributed that standing ovation not to my speech, but to the hard 
work, dedication, and integrity that was Representative Dominic 
Jacobetti.
  There has never been a legislator with so much power who remained so 
active in his community. He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, 
the Lions Club, the Eagles, Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the Northern 
Michigan Athletic Club, the Golden Wildcat Club and the Boys Town of 
Italy. And to those who thought Jake had slowed down during the last 
few months need look no further than his campaign van. He had signs 
plastered all over it and he was running hard again, and as usual, 
winning.
  The son of Italian immigrants, Dominic Jacobetti worked in the iron 
mines during his youth. He graduated from St. Paul's High School in 
Negaunee and his first job came from President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt's New Deal. Jacobetti, himself a Democrat, a New Dealer, the 
man who eventually became the Godfather never forgot who first employed 
him. His longevity is a lesson to all who work in public life--work 
hard and never forget the people who you represent.
  Dominic Jacobetti is survived by his wife Marie and their three 
children; Judith, Colin, and Dominic, Jr. My deepest condolences and 
sympathy go out to his family.
  To those of us who knew Jake, we now know that he is in heaven 
looking down upon us and for one last time, trying to steer a few more 
dollars across Mackinac Bridge, into his beloved Upper Peninsula.
  Tonight, I wish to publicly say thank you Jake, for your guidance as 
a mentor, for your dedication and integrity as a legislator for all the 
people of the Upper Peninsula, but most of all for your unyielding 
friendship. You truly are a legend that we will never forget.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, and June 10, 1994, the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. 
McInnis] is recognized for 15 minutes as the designee of the minority 
leader.
  [Mr. McLNNIS addressed the House. His remarks will appear hereafter 
in the Extensions of Remarks.]

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