[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1039]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND WORK OF FORMER SPEAKER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE 
                  OF REPRESENTATIVES, MATTHEW J. RYAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM GERLACH

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 13, 2003

  Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker I rise today in support of H. Res. 178, a 
resolution honoring the life and work of Matthew J. Ryan, the former 
Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
  The basic facts of Speaker Ryan's career in the Pennsylvania House 
were that he served for over 40 years and that he was the longest 
serving Speaker in the chamber's history. But as is often the case, the 
simple facts do little to explain the man or his impact on the lives of 
his fellow Pennsylvanians-including my own.
  Speaker Ryan was an almost legendary figure in Pennsylvania politics. 
He was a powerful man, to be sure. But more to the point, he was a man 
who had the trust and confidence of his colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle. He was universally respected for his nonpartisan style of 
presiding over the Pennsylvania House, his parliamentary skill and his 
formidable debating abilities. And, not least among his qualities, he 
was a tireless booster of Pennsylvania and her citizens.
  I came to know Speaker Ryan when I served under him for two terms in 
the Pennsylvania House in the early 1990s. Speaker Ryan earned the 
devotion of freshmen classes session after session because he was 
accessible, he was genuinely interested in helping new members learn 
the ropes, and because he was committed to helping all members do their 
best to better the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  Like many of my colleagues in the Pennsylvania congressional 
delegation, I am personally indebted to Speaker Ryan for his 
mentorship, his leadership and, above all, his friendship. I shall miss 
him greatly.

                          ____________________