[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 77 (Friday, June 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1032]]
    EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ITS 
           PARLIAMENTARIAN, THE HONORABLE CHARLES W. JOHNSON

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. HENRY J. HYDE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 2004

  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the acceptance of the 
ill-advised attempt by the finest Parliamentarian I have ever known to 
tender his resignation. While I do not disagree with any of the 
language contained in H. Res. 651 expressing the House's gratitude to 
Charlie Johnson, I will vote to table the consideration of the 
resolution since I strongly oppose the House accepting Charlie's 
resignation.
  Charlie Johnson has served two separate roles during his 
distinguished 40-year career in the Office of the Parliamentarian. 
First, he has steadfastly guided the proceedings of the House on a day-
to-day basis by assisting the presiding officer in a fair and 
evenhanded manner. His objectivity, dedication to fairness, and respect 
for precedent have made him an invaluable asset to the people's House.
  Just as importantly for the long-term continuation of the fair and 
consistent workings of the House, Charlie has been an educator. He has 
assembled what I consider to be the very best office on Capitol Hill, 
and clearly the most professional. Charlie and his staff work in a 
collegial and dedicated manner, frequently in the eye of the hurricane, 
and sometimes even in front of it. The Office of the Parliamentarian 
has historically been nonpartisan.
  One of the very best things Newt Gingrich did when he was elected 
Speaker in 1995 was to ensure that the Rules and Precedents of the 
House would continue to guide the proceedings of the House. He 
recognized that Charlie and his staff are the institutional memory of 
the House. Speaker Gingrich knew it was important to have nonpartisan 
professionals guiding the proceedings of the House.
  While Members come and go, the Office of the Parliamentarian, led by 
Charlie for the last decade, has continued its proud history. Charlie 
has continued the legacy of his mentor and friend, the late Bill Brown.
  My own experience with Charlie has been gratifying and truly 
educational. When I was in the minority, I learned to understand and 
appreciate the nonpartisan nature of the Office of Parliamentarian, and 
of each and every member of that staff. While I'm sure Charlie has his 
own strong personal opinions on the great issues of the day which we 
debate, I do not know what those opinions are, nor, I venture, does any 
other Member. Those personal feelings have never been a part of the way 
in which Charlie carries out his professional duties.
  When I became the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 1995, and as 
part of the new majority, the Committee took on the responsibility for 
consideration of many of the items outlined in the Contract with 
America. At that time, I became even more aware of the importance of 
the Parliamentarian and the necessity of that office being nonpartisan. 
A great majority of the matters in the Contract, including amendments 
to our founding document, the Constitution, were considered and 
processed by the Judiciary Committee. Having the advice and counsel of 
Charlie was crucial to that endeavor. It was a difficult and heated 
period of leadership transition, and, through it all, Charlie 
maintained his impartiality, professionalism, and desire to preserve 
the integrity of the proceedings of the House.

  Little did I know at that time that I was to find myself in a 
position several years later when I would need Charlie's help in an 
even more difficult and heated endeavor--the consideration of the 
impeachment of the President of the United States. Throughout those 
long and agonizing proceedings, Charlie was always in the background 
with answers to questions, and a nonpartisan professional attitude. He 
was a crucial part of the proceedings in the Committee and on the House 
floor.
  During the entirety of my working relationship with Charlie, he has 
taken his job seriously, but not himself. He is a man with a wonderful 
sense of humor. That quality helped both him and the Members get 
through some difficult times. I know Charlie is a great fan of the one-
liner. One of his favorite comedians was the late Henny Youngman of 
``Take my wife--Please'' fame. I have it on good authority that when 
Henny Youngman visited the House, Charlie was given a gift of two of 
his joke books which Henny autographed, and which Charlie keeps right 
next to his House Manual. It has been said that, occasionally, Charlie 
has grabbed the wrong volume and based some of his rulings on the Henny 
Youngman book, but I doubt that.
  We frequently throw around cliches in this body, but, in this case, I 
say without a doubt that Charlie Johnson has served his country well. 
He has also served well the Members of this House, the House as an 
institution, and the American people with distinction and dignity, and 
I honor him here today.
  I wish Charlie and his family a long and happy retirement.

                          ____________________