[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 87 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H4895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO PHILIP MERRILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay 
tribute to my good friend, the late Philip Merrill, who passed away 
earlier this month. And I rise as well to celebrate the life of a 
colorful and accomplished man and to say to his grieving family, his 
wife Eleanor, known to all of us as Ellie, his son Doug, his daughters 
Cathy and Nancy, his sister Suzanne and his four grandchildren, and to 
his other loved ones as well as his countless friends, that he will 
never be forgotten by Marylanders and by all those whose lives he 
touched.
  He was a man of immense and innumerable talents. Phil worked 
literally all over the world. He served as counselor to the Under 
Secretary of Defense as a member of the Defense Policy Board at the 
Defense Department from 1983 to 1990, as Assistant Secretary General to 
NATO from 1990 to 1992, and most recently, as president and chairman of 
the Export-Import Bank of the United States from 2002 until last year.
  In all, Phil served in six administrations. That impressive resume 
alone would be enough for most people to hang their hat on. Yet for 
Phil Merrill it is only half of his story. It was in his beloved home 
State of Maryland, particularly in southern Maryland, where he left his 
greatest mark and improved and enriched the lives of all of us who live 
in the region. Indeed, he was a presence in the Washington metropolitan 
area and in Washington itself.
  Mr. Speaker, I trust that you are familiar with the Washingtonian 
magazine, a publication owned by the Merrills. The Washingtonian was 
only a part of his vast publication business. Yet, I think that in this 
magazine we can truly see an imprint of Phil's spirit and the way that 
he approached life.
  Washington is a diverse city, a place where many, maybe even most, of 
those who live here come from other parts of the country. And because 
of that, the Washington area is extraordinarily diverse in background 
and experience and taste and opinion and in world views. Yet, those of 
us who spend so much time in this city, Mr. Speaker, usually end up too 
often becoming too consumed by the work that we are doing and the 
issues that we care about to fully appreciate and to truly enjoy the 
unique culture that exists here.
  That is where the Washingtonian magazine steps in. It was designed to 
encourage people to step back for just a moment and to take in the 
immense natural beauty and cultural offerings of this historic city. 
That is just what Phil Merrill did for the people around him. He 
inspired others to see that there actually is time in a busy life to do 
things like enjoy the outdoors. In his case, it was sailing and skiing 
and spending time with his beloved family that he so dearly loved for 
so long.
  The other facet of Phil's publishing business was Capitol Gazette 
Communications, comprised of five local papers and the Capitol, 
Annapolis' hometown paper. As the New York Times recently reported, Mr. 
Merrill bought the paper as a moribund afternoon daily in 1968 and 
built its circulation from 13,000 to 47,000. It goes without saying, 
Mr. Speaker, that the Capitol and the other newspapers in the Capitol 
Gazette Communications chain are a vital part of the daily lives of 
many of us and of my own constituents. They help unite our community.

                              {time}  1945

  Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say that Phil Merrill, publisher, 
successful businessman, diplomat, also will long be remembered as one 
of the most generous philanthropists of the Washington metropolitan 
area. During his life, Phil contributed tens of millions of dollars to 
his favorite causes, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, designed 
to restore and keep clean his beloved Chesapeake Bay, and the 
University of Maryland, for whom we shared a great love and commitment. 
He committed many dollars to the College of Journalism, one of the best 
now in the Nation. In addition, he contributed generously to the Johns 
Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International 
Studies.
  Mr. Speaker, Phil Merrill was a giant. I attended his memorial 
service, and there were clearly well over 1,000 people in attendance. 
He was a man who thrived on living each hour of each day to the 
fullest. His pioneering spirit, his dedication to this country, and, 
above all, his unwavering love of family and loyalty to friends serve 
as a model for all of us to live by.
  Phil Merrill will be missed, but he will not be forgotten.

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