[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 88 (Tuesday, July 11, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H5820-H5821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ON THE RETIREMENT OF RON LASCH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I have served now in the House for 6 
years, and this is the first time I think I have appeared on the floor 
to give a special order. There are some Members who have a lot on their 
minds and give special orders all the time. About some, like myself, 
some people back in my district say I do not have much on my mind at 
all.
  But I will tell the Members, tonight I do feel compelled to come to 
the floor and spend at least part of that 5 minutes talking about the 
same subject that was talked about by my colleagues, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and 
that is the retirement of Ron Lasch.
  I came back stunned from our Fourth of July recess today to find out 
that Ron had gone into retirement. The House of Representatives, Mr. 
Speaker, is a little less rich today than it was before we went on 
recess.

                              {time}  1830

  When we first come here, it does not take us long to figure out who 
knows what is going on and who does not know what is going on. There 
are a lot of people they will tell us what is going on, but we find out 
rather quickly they do not. Ron Lasch was somebody we could always 
count on, someone who had not only our interests, but the body's 
interest at heart when he gave us advice.
  The C-SPAN cameras in this Chamber focus on the Members. And I think 
a lot of people that watch these proceedings know that we have as the 
oldest serving Members of the House, the dean of the House, the great 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), but I found out something today 
about my friend Ron Lasch he had been here for 44 years if you totaled 
up his service back to the time of a page, and I think that that rivals 
the time of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) in the House.
  Mr. Speaker, just a quick anecdote, if I could. A couple of week ago, 
I had the honor of chairing the proceedings on the Interior 
Appropriations bill. It was raucous. It was partisan; it was a bitter 
debate as the parties waged war over funding for the arts and funding 
for Indian education and all of the things that go into the Department 
of the Interior and related agencies.
  And I got myself into a little bit of trouble, Mr. Speaker, during 
the course of that debate when I closed down a quorum call a little 
earlier than I probably should have. Some of my friends on the 
Democratic side of the aisle did not take that very well. They were not 
taking the debate too well, and they were not taking some of the 
reverses that occurred during the revotes on some issues very well.
  At the end of about 20 hours of presiding over that bill, one of the 
first people that came from the back of the Chamber up to the Speaker's 
rostrum to tell me it was okay and everything was going to be fine, and 
I would still get my paycheck and be able to serve the next day was Ron 
Lasch, and that is exactly the kind of fellow he is, and I am going to 
miss him.
  His counsel is invaluable. His knowledge is unsurpassed by almost any 
that come to work here, but more than that, his interest in us as 
people was what I will remember of his service here, at least the time 
that his service coincided with mine.
  He would always take time to ask how my kids were. He always asked me 
what the weather was like back in Ohio. He always asked me, when I used 
to tend the garden, if the corn was knee high by the 4th of July back 
in Ohio because he had a passion for gardening as well.
  So I know that today he has submitted his retirement and the official 
word is that he is not going to come back. And I hope he has a 
wonderful and fruitful retirement, but more than that, Mr. Speaker, I 
actually hope that he reconsiders that decision and he comes back and 
serves.
  And I see my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) in the well and I would 
be happy to yield the balance of my time to him for whatever remarks he 
would like to make.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
LaTourette) very much for the time. And certainly I join my colleagues 
in grateful appreciation to Ron Lasch who is a dear friend of mine, and 
I hope we continue to be friends as long as we live and beyond because 
so oftentimes I think the American people understand those of us that 
are in public office and who we are, but they do not know who is behind 
the scenes making the process work.
  Ron Lasch is a creature of this House, having spent most of his life 
on this floor fully understanding the operations of this House, as my 
gentleman friend said, always knowing what the schedule might be but 
much more importantly understanding the history and the civility and 
the importance of this institution and always sharing it with Members.
  Ron Lasch was born on the 1st anniversary of Pearl Harbor, December 
the 7th, 1942, and spent almost his whole life serving the United 
States House of Representatives, serving the Members. He would offer 
his advice to us when we asked it, but he would never offer it without 
us asking him first, and he would offer not just advice that you might 
get from some people that had an axe to grind or an agenda but the 
honest perspective of what is best for the United States House of 
Representatives. And I would tell you he is a dear friend, and the 
information is invaluable.
  And he served the Speaker of the House, through so many Speakers of 
the House on this floor so well. Ron is the kind of person who would 
not even want us to be here paying tribute to him. He is not the kind 
of person who announced his retirement and then waited some weeks so 
that there would be receptions and all the hoopla around his 
retirement. He served quietly and effectively, but I will tell you when 
the greatness of this House is written, it would be a shame if Ron 
Lasch's name were not permanently enshrined here in the United States 
House of Representatives, because he gave his life to this institution.
  He cares as much about the House of Representatives as any man that I 
have ever known or probably any person that I ever will know and that, 
Ron Lasch, is why I love you so much and I appreciate your dedication 
and service to this great Nation. Civil government is worthwhile. Civil 
government is worth our time and our effort, and it was worth your 
life's investment, from the House of Representatives and a grateful 
Nation, thank you Ron Lasch for a career of public service to the 
greatest Nation in the history of the world.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues this evening in 
recognizing the outstanding career of Ron Lasch.
  This institution has been enriched by Ron's presence and his depth of 
knowledge of the legislative process. He could really be called, ``Mr. 
House,'' because he's the expert around here. And he really has earned 
and deserves another title: The Honorable Ron Lasch. He's

[[Page H5821]]

a man of great honor and integrity. We've been enriched just by knowing 
Ron. He's been a stalwart and a steadying influence during some stormy 
times on the House floor.
  Ron's leaving, for me personally, is overwhelming. I'm losing a great 
friend. He has always given me wise counsel. He's someone I could 
always count on to answer questions about the House schedule or floor 
procedure or some arcane legislative matter. In describing Ron, I'm 
reminded of that advertisement for one of the country's top brokerage 
firms: ``When Ron Lasch speaks, everyone listens.''
  He's always been here and I can't imagine this place without him.
  Ron, this is a sad day for this institution and for me personally. 
The pace of the legislative process and the peculiarities of the House 
floor can bring with them frustrating moments. You've made it a little 
more bearable around here, Ron.
  I thank you for your untiring dedication to the House of 
Representatives, and I wish you godspeed as you leave and find a life 
outside Congress. We will miss you greatly.

                          ____________________