[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 90 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO SCOTT LILLY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID R. OBEY

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 24, 2004

  Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take a moment to thank someone who 
has meant a great deal to the Appropriations Committee, the entire 
House, and to me.
  Earlier this year, Scott Lilly concluded a 31-year career of service 
in the House of Representatives, mostly recently serving as the 
Democratic Staff Director of the House Appropriations Committee. 
Scott's career in the House was marked by dedication, distinction and 
an eternal sense of duty to serve the American people.
  Too often, Members of the House are given all of the credit for what 
we produce or for the ideas we make real. In fact, the most difficult 
tasks are often accomplished behind the scenes by our hard-working 
staff. Whatever credit I may be due during my service as the Chairman 
and now Ranking Democrat on the Committee on Appropriations, I must 
share much of it with Scott Lilly.
  Scott first came to the House as a summer intern in 1966. After 
graduating from college he worked for the Missouri Legislature, spent 
two years in the United States Army, and in 1971, was central states 
coordinator for the George McGovern presidential campaign.
  My collaboration with Scott first began in 1973 when he joined my 
staff, working for more than a decade as an associate staff member to 
both the Appropriations and Budget Committees. In 1985, Scott moved to 
the Joint Economic Committee, serving as its Executive Director and 
publishing a number of reports that attracted national attention, 
including studies on the regional disparities in economic recovery of 
the mid-1980s, and on the declining earning power of middle class 
Americans.
  In 1988, Scott became the fourth Executive Director of the Democratic 
Study Group (DSG) serving under Chairmen Martin Sabo, Robert Wise and 
Michael Synar. During that period, the DSG played a central role in 
legislative reform issues within the House Democratic Caucus and 
provided legislative research to virtually all Democrats and to many 
Republican members as well.
  Following the passing of Chairman William Natcher in 1994, the 
Democratic Caucus selected me to serve as House Appropriations 
Committee chairman. I then asked Scott to become the 10th Clerk and 
Staff Director in the 129-year history of the Committee.
  When the Republicans took control of the House the following January, 
Scott stayed on to serve as the Committee's Democratic Staff Director, 
a position he held for nine years.
  This past January, Scott announced that he would be leaving the 
Committee. While his service to the House may have ended, his public 
service has not. Neither has our friendship or my deep respect for 
Scott. Now, as a part-time professor at the Georgetown University 
Public Policy Institute, Scott educates a new generation of public 
servants, who I know will be equal to the task because they are 
learning from the best. Scott also continues to serve and stand up for 
progressive principles as a senior fellow at the think tank, the Center 
for American Progress.
  I am hopeful that, in addition to these new duties, Scott will now 
have the time to enjoy outside pursuits that he could not avail himself 
of while serving the House. Particularly, I hope that Scott will be 
able to return to his guitar lessons. As a fellow member of the 
bluegrass band, the Capitol Offenses, I know that like all of us, Scott 
might not be able to improve his singing voice, but maybe he can make 
some progress on his guitar plucking.
  Scott Lilly's departure from the House was a significant loss for 
this institution. I would note with pride that Scott also leaves with 
many more friends, from both sides of the aisle, than detractors. 
Throughout his service, Scott always believed that political opponents 
don't have to be political enemies. That is a belief that is in too 
short supply in the Congress and in this town, but it is a belief that 
Scott lived throughout his service.
  Congressional scholar Norman Ornstein noted in a Roll Call column 
last November the reality that ``dedicated professionals,'' like Scott 
Lilly, are what makes this institution work. Ornstein wrote of Scott 
and others like him, ``These are people who could leave at any time and 
command five or 10 times the pay they receive; instead they have 
provided the long-term glue that keeps Congressional deliberation and 
institutional memory together.'' I could not agree more.
  For more than 30 years, Scott Lilly has used his great political 
talent and judgment to serve this institution and this country. Unlike 
some in this town, he has never forgotten that political talent is 
wasted unless it is used for a higher purpose. Whether he was working 
for the McGovern campaign, or running the Democratic Study Group, the 
Joint Economic Committee or the Appropriations Committee staff, every 
day he put that talent to work to make this a stronger, fairer, and 
more decent and humane country. This House has never been served by two 
finer staff directors working with each, other across the partisan 
aisle, than Scott Lilly and Jim Dyer.
  Through it all, he has been my best friend and my wisest counselor. 
What more can be said except thank you and Godspeed in whatever comes 
next.

                          ____________________