[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H4418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY F. ``TONY'' TARTARO

  (Mr. SOLOMON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, sitting next to me, as people can see, is 
someone by the name of Anthony F. Tartaro.
  Keep on going there, Tony.
  Known simply as ``Tony'' to his many friends, Members of Congress, 
staff people, and a surprising number of tourists as well, he has 
announced his retirement as a floor reporter with the Official 
Reporters of Debates, effective May 1.
  Boy, are we going to miss this wonderful guy. He is truly the dean of 
the Reporters of this House, having joined the staff of the Official 
Reporters of Committees in 1966, and serving there for a period of time 
as the Chief Reporter. Tony then transferred to the staff of the floor 
reporters in the mid-1970's.
  A native of Brooklyn, NY, my home State, Tony attended Boys High 
School there, and he later completed a course in court reporting at the 
Heffley & Brown School. His fine record of scholastic achievement at 
that school truly paved the way for his appointment as an instructor 
there and later to a job offer at the Columbia Reporting Company here 
in Washington, where he worked for another 19 years.
  During World War II, Tony was in the Army, with most of his service 
taking place at Fort Myer, in Arlington, VA, from 1942 through 1945.
  Tony's reputation as a model of old-fashioned values is well known 
and well deserved on the floor of this House. A true patriot, he feels 
pride, not embarrassment, in displaying this flag that you see on his 
lapel right now. And, of course, Tony loved his holidays.
  Among Tony's hobbies, perhaps the most prominent has been dancing. 
Would you believe that? And he has been a lifelong ardent swimmer. One 
of Tony's other great interests has been the collecting of memorabilia 
and souvenirs relating to Congress and this Capitol. One of his good 
friends, noting the size of Tony's collection, once said, ``You know, 
Tony must have either a museum or a warehouse out there in Falls 
Church, to house all that material.'' and I feel sorry for his wife, 
Helen.
  A legend in friendliness and outgoing helpfulness, and certainly he 
has to be the best in my 16 years in this body, Tony has often taken 
his own time to guide visitors and tourists to their various 
destinations around the Capitol and to share with them his knowledge 
and his enthusiasm for the House of Representatives.
  But if Tony should be known for one and only one thing, it must be 
his recognition that having a loving family is truly life's greatest 
reward. Tony and Helen will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary--
and is that not a wonderful event--on January 6, next year. And Helen 
is not at all shy to say how lucky she was to have married this guy 
sitting next to me here.
  They have had two daughters, Patricia and Laura, and a set of 
grandtwins, Ian and Alyssa, to whom they are extremely devoted. Members 
of Tony's family are with us today, as we note his retirement.
  Have you looked around the room here, Tony?
  All of the reporters, transcribers, and clerks in HG-60, where Tony 
has maintained his office for the past 15 years, will feel a keen sense 
of emptiness when Tony
 does leave.

  We wish Tony and Helen all the best in happiness and health in their 
coming years of retirement.
  They expect to remain in the Washington area, as I understand it, and 
we look forward to Tony's visiting us as often as he possibly can, 
because it will not seem right not seeing him here on this floor after 
all of these years.
  Tony Tartaro, ladies and gentleman, is a good man. He is a dear 
friend. He is a great patriot. He is a true credit to this House, and 
we sure are going to miss you, Tony. You are a great American.
  God bless you.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burton of Indiana). The gentleman's long 
1 minute has expired.
  And the House will miss Tony, and the Chair hopes that the 
transcription is correct.

                              {time}  1110
        INTRODUCTION OF BALANCED BUDGET ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1995

  (Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to get serious about 
balancing the budget. Today I am joined by my colleagues, 
Representatives Charlie Stenholm, Calvin Dooley, and Tom Barrett, in 
introducing legislation that would put in place tough new measures to 
balance the budget by the year 2002. This bill, the Balanced Budget 
Enforcement Act of 1995, would force us to make the tough decisions 
required to balance the budget. It would do so by setting spending caps 
and using across-the-board cuts if the caps are not met.
  There are no exceptions. Everything is on the table and, unlike 
Gramm-Rudman, it has teeth.
  I would say to my colleagues who really want to balance the budget, 
here is your chance to move beyond the rhetoric. For those of my 
colleagues who do not want to balance the budget, do not cosponsor this 
bill because under this legislation, that is exactly what would happen.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to put our money where our mouth is. Let us 
start balancing the budget now.


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