[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE SIDNEY R. YATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 1998

  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my 
colleague, a truly great Member of Congress, Sid Yates, who will be 
leaving this House after forty-eight years of distinguished service.
  Sid began serving his country like I did, the Navy in World War II. 
He was then elected as the Assistant Attorney General and as the 
commerce commissioner of the State of Illinois.
  First elected to Congress in 1948, before many of us had even started 
our political careers, Sidney served proudly through the 87th Congress 
until former president John Kennedy appointed him as ambassador to the 
United Nations. Sidney resigned his U.N. position shortly afterwards to 
regain the title he truly loved, and will hold until next January, 
Congressman from the ninth congressional district of Illinois.
  Sid is an exemplary Member of the House Appropriations Committee and 
a great cardinal. As the Chairman and later the Ranking Member of the 
Subcommittee for the Department of the Interior and related agencies, 
he has single-handed done more to protect the National Endowment for 
the Arts than just about any member of this House. He kept the NEA 
going during the late eighties and early ninties and it is thanks to 
him that arts in America is what it is today.
  As a member on the Subcommittee for the Department of Interior and 
related agencies, Sid has gotten funding for dozens of national parks, 
seashores, and wildernesses.
  All of us here in Congress will miss Sid as our champion for the arts 
and for the protection of the environment. His successor will have a 
hard time living up to the legend of Sid Yates. His calm, reasoned 
thinking and stalwart defense of the environment will be long 
remembered after his retirement.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure and an honor to serve with Sidney 
Yates and I wish him a long and happy retirement.

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