[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 59 (Thursday, March 30, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H4005-H4008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 NAMING CERTAIN ROOMS IN HOUSE WING OF THE CAPITOL IN HONOR OF FORMER 
                    REPRESENTATIVE ROBERT H. MICHEL

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on House Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the 
resolution (H. Res. 65) naming certain rooms in the House of 
Representatives wing of the Capitol in honor of former Representative 
Robert H. Michel, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, 
I would ask the gentleman from California if he would kindly explain 
the purpose of the resolution and the three amendments that he wishes 
to offer which are at the desk.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FAZIO of California. I am happy to yield to the gentleman from 
California.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. House 
Resolution 65, which was unanimously approved in the Committee on House 
Oversight on March 8, 1995, with the three technical amendments that we 
will offer, is a resolution that was introduced by Speaker Gingrich on 
February 8, 1995, to do as we sometimes do in this body, name certain 
rooms after a figure who indicates a significant benchmark or milestone 
in the history of this House, and the resolution by Speaker Gingrich 
asks that the House wing in the Capitol be named after former 
representative Bob Michel.
  Clearly, by unanimous agreement the committee thought that it was 
most appropriate to do. Mr. Michel retired after 38 years of 
distinguished service in this House, including 14 years as the 
Republican leader, the longest tenure of any Republican in that 
capacity.
  The rooms to be so designated will be H-230, 231, and 232. Those are 
the rooms that Mr. Michel occupied as the minority leader and are 
currently the rooms occupied by the Speaker of the House.
  I will offer the technical amendments to the title, preamble, and 
text of the resolution which were recommended by legislative counsel 
after the gentleman withdraws his reservation.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I yield to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt], the 
leader for the Democratic side.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, it is with tremendous pleasure that I join 
in supporting this resolution which would name a suite of offices in 
the honor of our friend and colleague, Bob Michel, who retired last 
year from his post as minority leader.
  Undoubtedly true, that Bob and I disagreed on most legislation, and 
when we disagreed he was a very tough adversary, but he was the very 
best the Republican Party had to offer. In times of conflict as in 
times of consensus, Bob Michel led his party with grace and class and 
decency that inspired confidence on both sides of the aisle.
  Maybe it was the depth of his understanding of the legislative 
process and how to make that process work for the people, an 
understanding that he honed over 38 years of dedicated service to the 
people of Peoria, IL.
  Maybe it was the way that he worked for consensus within his own 
conference, bridging differences to be sure at the end of the day we 
could make progress on important legislation.
  Or perhaps it was the way he knew when to fight for his party or when 
to put partisanship aside and work to advance the goals that transcend 
party or politics.
  Or maybe it was simply his love for this institution, his faith in 
our democracy, and the way he became part of all of our lives.
  But I know that the House will never be the same without a Bob 
Michel. And he should know that he has earned the admiration of both 
his colleagues and his constituents. I am grateful for his 38 years of 
service to the United States of America, and I am grateful that all of 
us can call him a friend, and I am delighted that we will be naming 
these rooms he once occupied in his own name so that his name, his 
memory, and his example will forever inspire all who will walk through 
these halls.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, and I obviously do not intend to, I want to speak out of the 
deepest possible respect for the wisdom and leadership of former 
minority leader Michel as well. Bob Michel exemplified the highest 
ideal of bipartisanship. When he gave his word, you could rely on it. 
He was fair and compassionate.
  His door was open to Members of both parties, junior and senior 
Members alike. He was a bridge builder. And as minority leader he was 
an honest and straightforward person.
  He was a staunch defender of minority rights and now we in the 
Democratic Party know better than ever just how important it was to 
have someone of Bob Michel's statute be the person who continued to 
insist on the rights that the minority in this Congress will always 
maintain.
  I have nothing but praise for Bob Michel and believe this resolution 
is a fitting way for the House to recognize the contributions of one of 
its most exemplary Members in its modern history, and I look forward to 
the actual dedication.
  Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I am happy to 
yield to the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston].
  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. I want 
to add my thoughts to the accolades given 
[[Page H4006]] to our friend, Bob Michel. He was here in the House for 
38 years. He came here shortly after the Republicans were in the 
majority. He served in the minority throughout his process, throughout 
his term in office, and after he left, well, the Republicans gained the 
majority again.
  And my heart goes out to him, because I will tell you what, he was 
one heck of a minority leader and he would have been one heck of a 
majority leader or Speaker.
  I know it was not in the cards for Bob Michel to attain the 
speakership, but I thought it was a very generous act of the outgoing 
majority leader who might have been Speaker to hand the gavel to Bob 
Michel and let him preside over the new House for just a few minutes. 
And I will always remember that because that kind of memorializes in my 
mind the tremendous stature that Bob Michel enjoyed on both sides of 
the aisle.
  He was a leader for his time; he was a man that could work with a 
large variety of people, a wide disparity of philosophical and 
political viewpoints, and yet he brought people together, and, frankly, 
never failed to do so with great humor and good fellowship.
  So, I join with my friends in paying tribute to my friend, Bob 
Michel. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey], the majority 
leader.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I would like to take just a moment to also express my appreciation 
that we have such a resolution before us. To name these rooms after Bob 
Michel I think is probably the least we can do.
  I got home from work the other night and doing that business called 
channel surfing I came across an old movie, ``The Battle of the 
Bulge,'' and I thought about Bob Michel because Bob Michel was one of 
us from our body that had actually been in the Battle of the Bulge, and 
realizing what must have been that terrible, terrible momentous 
struggle. And as so often I do when I see these depictions on 
television or at the movies, I wonder about the quiet bravery and 
resolve of these men caught up in these mortal conflicts. And although 
I think the gentleman from California will agree our conflicts here are 
not always mortal, there are times when they may seem that way.
  And it was always we found in Bob Michel a quiet courage and resolve; 
one that was gentlemanly, one that was courteous, one that was always 
respectful, and one nevertheless that reflected the demeanor of a man 
who could look at all of our turmoil, all of our differences here, all 
that turns out to sometimes be hard feelings, and very calmly approach 
that with the eye of a person who had seen things so much worse and had 
been sustained over the years by an understanding that yes, we will 
survive this conflict today as we have done those others and endow in 
each of us an understanding that whatever might be the passion or the 
anger or the feeling of a moment, it will pass and our lives will go on 
and this great republic will go on.

                              {time}  1400

  So for us to enshrine in the memory of that kind of quiet confidence 
in this great institution rooms named after the inspiration that we 
drew on so many times from Bob Michel, I think, will be a good 
reflection for each of us to make from either side of the aisle as we 
walk down those halls and recognize those rooms.
  So, again, let me thank you for bringing this to the floor and 
express my most appreciative support for the effort.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, let me simply say I think the majority leader speaks eloquently 
of the stature of this person who never allowed his very partisan role 
in the institution to separate him in any personal sense from any 
Member. He never let the partisanship, which is part of the political 
debate here, interfere with his basic humanity and his willingness to 
be a friend to all of his colleagues.
  Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I yield to my 
colleague, the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], the former chairman 
of this caucus.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.
  I rise to join all of those who have already spoken on behalf of this 
resolution and, more importantly, on behalf of honoring a great 
American, a thoughtful American, yes, as the gentleman from California 
[Mr. Fazio] has said, a partisan American, but first an American, first 
a gentleman who loved his country, a gentleman who loved this 
institution, a gentleman who loved his fellow human beings and extended 
to them courtesy and respect and consideration.
  I would doubt that there is a Member of either party who had the 
privilege of serving with Bob Michel who did not not only respect him, 
but hold him in deep affection.
  Bob Michel was in this issue institution a person who brought us 
together, even at times of partisan differences. That is why Democrats 
and Republicans alike stand to support and to honor someone who has 
enriched this institution and greatly enriched his country.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. 
Speaker, I yield to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the 
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich].
  Mr. GINGRICH. I thank my friend, the gentleman from California, for 
yielding.
  I just want to say I am very grateful for the spirit of bipartisan 
support.
  You know, I think when the history of the House in this century is 
written that Mr. Michel will have an unusual place. He entered the 
House shortly after the Republican Party had lost its majority. He 
served in the minority his entire time, but he brought to it a spirit 
of bipartisanship, a spirit of patriotism, I think a spirit of sincere 
desire to work with every Member of the House, to uphold the dignity of 
the House, to do the best he could working with Presidents of both 
parties.
  His career spans much of the most intense period of the cold war. 
Anyone who ever traveled with him knows he had friends across the 
planet he had made while working to uphold the position of freedom all 
over the world.
  He certainly, for our generation of Republicans, gave us a sense of 
leadership. We served, in effect, an apprenticeship with him, and I 
think that the House today and the spirit that was just expressed by my 
friend from Maryland in a bipartisan way honoring a man like this who 
has served the House and served this country is exactly the right thing 
to do.
  So I am very grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for 
joining us in this.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. 
Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hastert].
  Mr. HASTERT. I certainly appreciate the gentleman from California for 
yielding.
  Bob Michel, when I came to the U.S. Congress, Bob Michel certainly 
was already established as a name and somebody who had served many, 
many years and a great record here. But no matter if I was the lowest 
guy from the delegation, Bob took time, counseled, sat down, was almost 
a father image and helped the youngest member of the delegation out, 
and I will always remember that.
  You know, people have talked about Bob Michel. I guess it is the old 
ploy, it is good if it will play in Peoria. Bob Michel did play in 
Peoria time after time in the best sense of the world. He certainly 
represented the heartland of America. He brought those values and those 
ideals back to this floor and to this city, and every time that Bob 
Michel got up to speak, we would hear that good Midwestern common 
sense, metered hostility or praise or whatever he had to give. But it 
was certainly tempered with his roots back in Illinois.
  And you know, I think we talk about Bob Michel being a quiet person. 
He certainly was, and unless there is a piano around, then he was not 
so quiet.
  We talk about him being a true gentle man, but Bob Michel was also 
tough, and if there were things that he really felt that were going the 
wrong way, he would stand there and he would outwait you. He would 
listen to you and listen to you and listen to you, 
[[Page H4007]] and finally Bob Michel would have his way prevail. So he 
had that toughness inside.
  I just really appreciate the opportunity here to speak about Bob and 
certainly to commemorate this part of this building in his name, 
something we can always remember. I think that is very, very fitting 
and proper to do.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers].
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
California for yielding. I deeply appreciate that.
  I had the pleasure of making the motion to adopt this resolution in 
the House Oversight Committee, and I did that with pleasure for two 
reasons. Fist of all, these rooms have some meaning for me personally. 
My first experience in these rooms was meeting with then Minority 
Leader Gerald Ford a number of years ago when he asked me to serve as 
his personal science adviser and assemble scientists in his district to 
meet with him on a regular basis. That was my anointing into the 
political process, and I think had some influence on the fact that I 
ended up here today.
  But above all, I want to speak on this issue, because of the 
outstanding character and quality of Mr. Michel himself. I first met 
him at about the same time I became acquainted with Mr. Ford. Mr. 
Michel came to speak in our district, and I met him, and I was 
immediately impressed with him, and thoughout the years I have had 
other contact with him.
  But what especially impressed me was when I was elected last year, in 
spite of the fact that he was the minority leader, he took ample time 
to help me get oriented, adjusted, and to become a true Member of this 
Congress, and I was impressed with his throughtfulness, his kindness, 
his helpfulness, and above all, as has been emphasized here, the fact 
that he is a true gentleman, and he represents the epitome of what is 
good and proper about this institution.
  It is with great pleasure that I support this resolution.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. 
Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Crane].
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague for 
yielding.
  It is a precious moment of recollection, and I said that when you 
think back on our 40 years in the wilderness, there are biblical 
parallels, and Bob Michel served 38 faithful years here, but like 
Moses, he saw the Promised Land but never entered it.
  I first met Bob when I was teaching history down at Bradley 
University in Bob's hometown, and he was Uncle Bob to me, and he was a 
dear friend, and I admired him greatly long before I ever dreamed of 
joining him here.
  I had the distinct honor of serving with him for 25 of his 38 years. 
I miss him. I think we all miss him on a bipartisan basis.
  Bob came down here when this place was infinitely more collegial than 
it has become. It strikes me that we are perhaps learning from the 
British Parliament in our exchanges here on the floor that I do not 
really recall in previous years.
  But part of that was Bob's influence, and Bob had a gentlemanly 
demeanor. It was persistent. He could get filled with passion when he 
believed profoundly in an issue, but it never got down to 
personalities.
  I think it is a fitting tribute that is being paid to Bob by 
memorializing his name here, a great public servant, a great patriot, 
and we all honor him.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, it is fair to say that in his 38 years in Congress, I might 
add--I hate to mention it, but I must--three times what he would have 
been allowed to serve under term limits as some would have it, he had 
many outstanding people serve on his staff, and the individual who most 
recently did a great job of representing him in his home base of Peoria 
is now a Member of this institution, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
LaHood].
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. LaHood].
  Mr. LaHOOD. I thank the gentleman, and I appreciate very much the 
gentleman from California allowing us Illinoisans to do this.
  I want to announce to all Americans that Bob Michel is alive and well 
in Washington, DC. Actually there are people calling the cloakroom 
wondering if something has happened to him. He has not slipped on a 
banana. He is still around.
  For so long, 12 years, I worked for Bob Michel, and many of the 
things that I have learned about this institution and have been able to 
bring to this institution I learned from my friend, Bob Michel. I would 
not be here today as a Member of the House of Representatives if it 
were not for Bob Michel. Having worked for him for 12 years and been 
his chief of staff for the last 4\1/2\ of those years was a marvelous 
experience.
  So many times I said, while I campaigned, I am not going to fill Bob 
Michel's shoes. Nobody can do that. Nobody can fill the shoes of 
someone like Bob Michel. He is truly an extraordinary person.
  And another thing that I have said for so long is that he is the last 
of a dying breed around this House. I do not know that there will ever 
be another Bob Michel, somebody with so many years of experience, but 
somebody who was so revered on both sides of the aisle by all of the 
Republicans and all of the Democrats in a way that I do not know that 
we have around here anymore.
  I cannot think of a more fitting way to help remember him than this 
resolution that we are considering today.
  Back in our home community last weekend there were some news accounts 
on our television, and as the newscasters were saying, ``Peoria 
Congressman,'' I waited for them to say, ``Bob Michel,'' because we 
have said that for so long, even in our own community, so I know that 
many people miss him here, and many people miss him in Peoria and 
elsewhere in the 18th district, and it is truly an honor for me to say 
whenever I can that I took Bob Michel's place, but I will not replace 
him, because he is irreplaceable.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Manzullo].
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, what a joy it is to participate in such an 
unique way to honor a person who is truly my personal hero in Congress.
  I was elected in the 103d Congress, my first term in Congress and Bob 
Michel's last term in Congress. And I remember Bob was thinking about 
retiring. I sat next to him right over here. I said, ``Bob,'' I said, 
``are you going to retire or are you going to stick around for one more 
term?'' He said, ``No.'' He said, ``I just think it is time that I 
retire to give other people an opportunity to come into this body.''
  And probably one of the most moving events in my life occurred when 
the House Republican Conference had its very last meeting of the 103d 
Congress, and Bob came in. We had a birthday cake there, and everybody 
was singing and on their feet. I was sitting there in the chair just 
weeping like a child, knowing that somehow I was going to be deprived 
of the opportunity to serve numerous years with a man who is a truly 
remarkable American.
  You know, in an age where people have incredible angers and will 
become short on words and sometimes say things we do not like to, 
probably the harshest thing Bob Michel would ever say would be, if he 
was really upset, would be ``Gosh darn it,'' and you sort of look at 
him, and he had this almost comical smile on his face such as you 
really should not get mad about this, because the country depends upon 
all of us working together.
  And I see the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] over here because 
he used to lock horns all the time with Bob, but you could never get 
mad at him.
  Unfortunately, some of us end up getting a little bit upset with each 
other, treat each other like sandpaper at times, but Bob Michel always 
served to me as the epitome of a U.S. Congressman, and if I ever wanted 
to write a book on the person whom I would most want to emulate, that 
would be my personal hero, the man we are honoring through your 
resolution, Vic, and that is Bob Michel, and bless you for giving 
[[Page H4008]] us the opportunity to pay this little tribute to him.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to 
object, I must comment that I did have the opportunity to play golf 
with Bob on a number of occasions. He was known to use cuss words, 
always within the bounds of propriety, such as, ``Golly, gosh, darn.'' 
He probably would have more of those than strokes per hole.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Weller].
  Mr. WELLER. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for the 
opportunity to say a few words. As one of the new Members of Congress, 
one of the new kids on the block, I am one of those who cannot say that 
I served with Bob Michel. But I remember as a young man meeting Bob 
Michel for the first time at a political function in western Illinois. 
My impression was, ``This guy is a nice guy. Everybody likes him. How 
can he be a leader? Leaders have to make tough decisions, leaders have 
to stand up and sometimes say `no' for those who are in their flock 
whom they are trying to lead.''
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to commend the Speaker and the sponsors of 
this resolution for honoring an all-around nice guy, someone that 
Illinois was very proud to send to the House of Representatives for 38 
years, who distinguished himself here.
  Again, I thank the gentleman and, good job in moving forward on this 
resolution.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, let me yield to the chairman of 
the Committee on House Oversight, the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Thomas]. But before I do, let me correct the record: This resolution 
was offered and sponsored by the gentleman from California.
  Mr. THOMAS. And the Speaker.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. And the other leaders on his side of the 
aisle. The minority is happy to participate, and we are very pleased 
that we can cosponsor this resolution.
  Mr. THOMAS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that several of the new Members 
wanted to know whether or not we had enough rooms if we were going to 
name rooms after Members. I asked them to walk around and look at the 
number of rooms named for distinguished Members of this House. And all 
of the rooms that have not been named. I would just say, to anyone who 
wants to know whether or not rooms should be named after Bob Michel, to 
read the Congressional Record following this presentation. There is 
ample reason. Anyone who meets the profile that has been discussed 
among Members here, we have ample rooms. I think you will find that 
very few of us would meet that profile.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of 
objection and look forward to supporting the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution as follows:

                               H. Res. 65

       Whereas, at the end of the One Hundred Third Congress, 
     Representative Robert H. Michel retired after 38 years of 
     distinguished service in the House of Representatives, 
     including service as the Republican leader beginning in 1981, 
     the longest tenure of any Representative in that position: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the rooms numbered H-230, H-231, and H-232 
     in the House of Representatives wing of the Capitol are named 
     in honor of former Representative Robert H. Michel.


     amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by mr. thomas

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. 
     Thomas: Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert: 
     That the rooms numbered H-230, H-231, and H-232 in the House 
     of Representatives wing of the Capitol shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Robert H. Michel Rooms''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Thomas].
  The amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution as 
amended.
  The resolution, as amended, was agreed to.


            amendment to the preamble offered by mr. thomas

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the preamble.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment to the preamble offered by Mr. Thomas: Amend the 
     preamble by striking out ``beginning in 1981'' and inserting 
     in lieu thereof ``for 14 years''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment to the 
preamble offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas].
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.


              amendment to the title offered by mr. thomas

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the title.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Title amendment offered by Mr. Thomas: Amend the title so 
     as to read: ``Resolution designating certain rooms in the 
     House of Representatives wing of the Capitol as the `Robert 
     H. Michel Rooms'.''.

  The title amendment was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________