[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ROBERT WALKER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this occasion to 
speak to my colleagues about someone very special who has been working 
very hard for this House and this country and the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania for 20 years. I speak of Congressman Robert Walker who 
announced this week that he would not be seeking an 11th term in the 
House of Representatives.
  There is no one I can think of presently, in Congress or in recent 
years, who has been more of a deficit hawk, a budget hawk, or a U.S. 
Representative extraordinaire. His expertise on parliamentary rules has 
been the best, and for many of us, like myself, he has been a role 
model for how to be a U.S. Congressman when it comes to constituent 
services and legislative advocacy.
  His 10 terms of outstanding service to the people of Chester County 
and Lancaster County in Pennsylvania have certainly shown just what an 
outstanding Congressman can do for his State and his community. He is 
Pennsylvania's favorite son, Robert Walker, a champion.
  As chairman of the Committee on Science, he has worked to increase 
research for health care, for jobs, and for science. This is a man who 
loves this institution, who has respected its traditions, its history. 
It seems appropriate that the House now stands, Mr. Speaker, poised on 
the verge of passing a balanced budget for the first time since 1969, 
and that with Congressman Robert Walker, his inspiration, his spirit, 
his drive, his enthusiasm have helped to sustain all Members of the 
House who believe that we can balance this budget, that we can in the 
next few days or weeks come to an agreement with the President of the 
United States and the Senate in helping our children, our 
grandchildren, to pass a balanced budget.
  We know from Alan Greenspan that by passing a balanced budget we will 
reduce interest rates and thereby reduce the cost of home mortgages, 
car expenses and college costs. The balanced budget is what we need for 
our country, and Robert S. Walker, the outstanding Congressman from 
Pennsylvania, will help lead us there, as he has through many fights, 
to make sure we maintain fiscal responsibility in this country.
  I am proud to yield to the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth], for 
his comments.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. I thank my good friend from Pennsylvania, and I would 
join him in the remarks of respect and affection for our colleague, Bob 
Walker.
  Mr. Speaker, through C-SPAN, millions of Americans have been able to 
see the expertise and the grace and the exemplary conduct with which 
Robert Walker has comported himself on this floor. While it was his 
brother, Wally, who grew to a taller height and started, both at the 
University of Virginia and the National Basketball Association, and 
still labors in the front office of the Seattle Supersonics, I think it 
is safe to say that Bob Walker has always stood tall, both for the 
people of Pennsylvania Dutch country, and more importantly, for the 
entire citizenry of the United States.
  With that, I would yield back to my colleague from Pennsylvania, [Mr. 
Fox].
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. I would yield to the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Hunter].
  Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and let me just say 
that everybody holds Bob Walker in great esteem.
  I am reminded of a story by Jack Kemp when he was on a plane in the 
Caribbean, and somebody saw him and started to come toward him, saying, 
are you a Member of Congress. Jack figured here was another guy coming 
to recognize him, the potential Presidential candidate and a well-known 
sports star and Congressman; and when Jack Kemp said, I am, the guy 
said, well, then you must know Bob Walker. I have seen him on C-SPAN.
  All of us have seen Bob on C-SPAN, but what a lot of folks have not 
seen is that Bob Walker is a guy who was always here to help anybody 
who comes out on the House floor, who has a legislative initiative. 
Whether you are a freshman or a Member who has been here for 16 years, 
Bob is always gracious, always willing to help, and maybe most 
importantly, always ready to fight for you.
  I can remember when we did the all-night special orders, and Bob 
would always be the guy that volunteered for the slot from 2 a.m. to 3 
a.m. in the morning. That takes a lot of guts.
  A great American, and it is a real tragedy that he is leaving this 
House, a wonderful friend of all of us.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. I am hoping this special order will change 
his mind.
  I yield to the gentleman from Georgia, Congressman Kingston.
  Mr. KINGSTON. I feel that I am a second-generation special order guy; 
I know that I am walking down a trail that was blazed by Bob Walker and 
Newt Gingrich and Jack Kemp and Duncan Hunter and a lot of guys before 
use who got a lot of people in the habit of watching C-SPAN, but more 
importantly got people to tune in to the issues of reducing the size of 
Government, providing tax relief, welfare reform, cutting down on 
Government, micromanagement out of Washington, and increasing personal 
freedom and responsibility, and I attribute that to Bob Walker.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your indulgence 
and thank you, Bob Walker,  for being a great American and a great 
Congressman.

                          ____________________