[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO U.S. SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS

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                          HON. GEORGE W. GEKAS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 1996

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring your attention to the 
following tribute presented by United States Administrative Law Judge 
John C. Holmes. Judge Holmes had the honor of introducing United States 
Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens when Justice Stevens 
received an award of merit from the Federal Administrative Law Judge 
Conference on May 4, 1996.
  I have found Judge Holmes' remarks to be a fitting tribute to the 
distinguished career and character of Justice Stevens. It is, 
therefore, with great honor that I present to you the following.

       Born April 20, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, John Paul Stevens 
     graduated from the University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa, 
     majoring in English Literature. After serving three years 
     with distinction in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he 
     received a law degree from Northwestern University in 1947, 
     magna cum laude, where he was law review editor and order of 
     the coif. He not only graduated first in his class, but 
     received the highest record of academic achievement in the 
     school's history.
       He first came to Washington and the Supreme Court in 
     October, 1947 where he served as clerk to Associate Justice 
     Wiley Rutledge.
       Returning to Chicago he joined the law firm of Poppenhusen, 
     Johnston, Thompson and Raymond. Hired at the same time was Ed 
     Rothschild, who he hadn't previously met. Mr. Rothschild 
     relates that the first duty required was the burying of Mr. 
     Poppenhusen who died shortly after hiring them both. The two 
     shortly formed the firm of Rothschild, Stevens, Barry and 
     Myers. Then attorney Stevens specialized in antitrust and 
     appellate litigation, and had the reputation of analyzing and 
     articulating complex problems in such a fine tuned manner 
     that the result would appear obvious. Mr. Rothschild 
     remembers the Justice as fiercely competitive in all that he 
     did, but adds, ``I still beat him at tennis.''
       Justice Stevens was appointed by President Nixon to the 
     U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit on October 14, 
     1970. He was appointed by President Ford as Associate Justice 
     of the Supreme Court and took office on December 17, 1975. A 
     prime sponsor was then Attorney General Levi, also an alumnus 
     of the Chicago area, who described Judge Steven's 7th Circuit 
     opinions as ``gems of perfection and a joy to read''.
       Prior to his appointment to the bench, Justice Stevens 
     served on numerous committees, for example as counsel to the 
     House Judiciary Committee, and as a member of the Attorney 
     General's Committee to study the Anti-Trust laws. He has 
     served on the faculty at Northwestern and Chicago Law Schools 
     and lectured at Salsburg and New York Un. Law Schools, 
     authored numerous articles and reviews and been an active 
     member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar 
     Association, American Law Institute and American Judicature 
     Society.
       Besides being an accomplished, competitive tennis player, 
     he is an excellent bridge player, having acquired numerous 
     Master Points, an avid golfer and enjoys the opportunity to 
     read and travel.
       220 years ago, a great experiment was launched in 
     government from the Eastern shores of this continent in what 
     was otherwise a vast undiscovered virgin land far removed 
     from the feuding and too often tyrannical governments of 
     Europe. Our founding fathers had the profound wisdom to 
     combine an idealistic notion that people could govern 
     themselves through their representatives with the 
     contrasting cynical observation that human nature required 
     that there be checks and balances to prevent undue 
     acquisition of power in one individual or group. And so 
     after much debate they wrote a Constitution that provided 
     for the separation of powers in three branches of 
     government. It was left to the third branch, the 
     Judiciary, to not only settle disputes between parties but 
     also to set the parameters and limitations of the other 
     two branches. At the pinnacle was established a Supreme 
     Court of the United States whose duty it became to 
     interpret the provisions of the Constitution and their 
     application to the ever changing nature of society. The 
     Constitution has served us well; we need only to look at 
     other failed governments and governmental systems, most 
     recently communism, to appreciate the benefits conferred 
     and the freedom provided under it. It has endured as the 
     country has fulfilled its manifest destiny, ended slavery, 
     fostered the industrial and now the technology 
     revolutions, evolved from a rural to an urban society and 
     changed enormously in many other ways. In order to 
     preserve this ``living'' Constitution a sacred trust is 
     conferred by the today 250 million people of the United 
     States on only nine individuals who have been elevated to 
     the high calling of Justice of the Supreme Court. This 
     sacred trust does not demand that we agree with every idea 
     and interpretation uttered by any one Justice, that would 
     be impossible. But it does require a consistent and 
     conscientious effort by each Justice to place the nation's 
     interest as embodied in the Constitution above all else.
       Mr. Justice, you have faithfully fulfilled that sacred 
     trust in the finest manner. For over 20 years now you have 
     applied your wisdom, scholarship and especially integrity to 
     the process of determining and articulating how the concepts 
     as expressed in the Constitution should be applied to the 
     ever changing conditions and circumstances of today's society 
     while still preserving its essential meaning. You have always 
     voted as you believed was right for the country and not 
     necessarily what was currently fashionable. Whether in the 
     majority, in dissent or in concurrence you have used that 
     ability to articulate complex problems into an easily 
     understood and compelling opinion. You have not only served 
     the longest tenure other then Justice Rehnquist on the 
     current Court, but have been the most prolific opinion 
     writer. You have demonstrated a pattern of independent voting 
     concerned more with clear enunciation of believed principles 
     rather than compromise, an overriding belief that the 
     Constitution should be utilized to protect the rights of 
     those who traditionally have been powerless, and an 
     unwillingness to sacrifice constitutional values in the name 
     of administrative convenience. In this highest calling you 
     have served in the highest manner. Your work on the Court has 
     earned you a special place of honor along with the likes of 
     Holmes, Brandeis, Harlan, Frankfurter, Black and others 
     stretching back to John Marshall.
       We are in the same business, Mr. Justice. We honor you 
     tonight not only for your lifetime accomplishments but for 
     your qualities of wisdom, judicial demeanor, intelligence, 
     integrity and passion for justice that we all aspire to. You 
     are a model of what the citizenry rightfully requires of the 
     judiciary. Importantly, by your acceptance of our award, you 
     honor us and the work we do as independent administrative law 
     judges. Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome the 1996 Federal 
     Administrative Law Judge Conference honoree, United States 
     Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.

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