[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 134 (Thursday, December 7, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8928-H8934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMEMORATING THE SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES OF THE HON. HENRY HYDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the previous order of the House,
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) is recognized for 45 minutes.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, we meet here today to commemorate the
service to the United States of our colleague Henry Hyde of Illinois.
Henry
[[Page H8929]]
Hyde, from our Sixth Congressional District, currently is retiring as
the chairman of the House International Relations Committee and has
become one of the most intellectual and respected Members of the House.
Henry comes from Chicago Earth. Raised as a Catholic and a Democrat,
he was an all-city basketball center when he went off to college in
Georgetown and then enlisted in the Navy. Henry Hyde served our country
in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, serving in the Lingayen
Gulf and then the Reserves from 1946 to 1968, finally retiring from the
Navy as a commander. After the war, he finished college and law school
and practiced law in Chicago and in 1958 switched parties, convinced
that Republicans were in line with his anti-communist beliefs. He ran
for the House in 1962 and lost by a six-point margin.
He then ran for the Illinois House in 1966. He served as the majority
leader between 1971 and 1972. He ran for Speaker of the Illinois House,
but didn't make it after a narrow battle.
Henry was elected to the Congress in 1974, after originally planning
to run as president of the Cook County Board until Congressman Harold
Collier told Henry that he was not going to run for Congress again.
Hyde's first campaign for Congress was against the Cook County State's
Attorney, Edward Hanrahan, and in that race Henry won by a victory of
53 percent.
It was a big Democratic year in 1974, but what a leader the people of
the Sixth Congressional District elected when they chose Henry Hyde,
not only as chairman of the International Relations Committee but also
of the Judiciary Committee and someone who had a key role in expanding
the fight for freedom and democracy in Central America.
I first worked closely with Henry Hyde when I served in the United
States State Department on behalf of the Central American Peace
Process. It was Henry Hyde, his intellect and his voice, that saw the
growing danger in Central America. It was Henry Hyde that helped lead
this House on a bipartisan basis to back the democracy in El Salvador
in its resistance against a communist-backed insurgency. It was Henry
Hyde that worked with the Assistant Secretary of State Bernard Aaronson
to back elections in Nicaragua where for the first time a communist
dictatorship was lulled into an election and then defeated by the
people there. It was Henry Hyde that really laid the groundwork in this
House as a minority Member on behalf of a new pro-democracy strategy in
Central America that ended all of those terrible wars in El Salvador
and Nicaragua and in Guatemala, laying the groundwork for peace, the
Central American Free Trade Agreement, and much greater prosperity and
security.
Today, we, his colleagues, mark his service, since 1974 in this House
of Representatives, as an intellectual leader.
I would now like to recognize Congressman Ray LaHood for his remarks
on the service of Henry Hyde to our country.
Mr. LaHOOD. Thank you, Congressman Kirk. I appreciate the fact that
you were able to arrange the time for those of us here in the House
that want to pay high honor to Henry Hyde for his service to our
country and to the people of Illinois and to the people of the world.
Certainly his service as chairman of the International Relations
Committee has been service to not only Illinois and our great country
but also to people all around the world, because he has become somebody
who has been an advocate for those who have had little voice in their
own countries and an advocate for those who have had little voice in
their opportunities to share in the same kind of democracy that we have
in this country.
Illinois has a rich heritage of sending to Washington, DC,
distinguished Americans, not the least of whom certainly was Abraham
Lincoln, who served in this House for one term; not the least of whom
was Everett Dirksen, who served in this House for several terms and
then went over to the other body; not the least of whom was my
predecessor, Bob Michel. So I have had the privilege of coming from a
State that has sent to Washington, DC, men of great honor, great
integrity, men and women who have served the country so well. And Henry
will certainly go down in the annals of the history of Illinois, the
history of our country, as being one of those men.
A distinguished career here in the House. A career that, unlike
probably almost any other Member, he has been able to chair two very
significant committees, the Judiciary Committee for 6 years and because
of the term limits on our side, he had to give up that chairmanship,
but he served with great distinction on that committee and handled one
of the most contentious issues ever to come before the House of
Representatives in the history of the House, and that was the
impeachment of a President. And he did it with great integrity, great
honesty, and in a way that I think distinguished him and distinguished
the Judiciary Committee and distinguished the House of Representatives.
As the chairman of the International Relations Committee, he has served
the House very well and served the Members very well.
As he retires, tomorrow marks probably the last day for the 109th
Congress and the last day for Mr. Hyde to have an opportunity to be a
voting Member of this great deliberative body. I know that so many on
both sides of the aisle have the highest regard and respect for his
service here.
In addition to serving in both important committees, as Chair of
important committees, Judiciary and International Relations, the one
thing that I think Congressman Hyde will be remembered for certainly is
being the loudest and the strongest voice for the unborn, for those who
have not had a voice, for those who have not had the opportunity to
have their voice heard. He has been the strongest advocate for what has
been commonly referred to as the ``Hyde amendment'' that restricts
Federal funding for abortions. And that issue is an issue that he will
long be remembered for, along with many other issues, but one that I
know he is very, very proud of. His service to those who have not had a
voice but he has given them voice in this House of Representatives.
So as we say fond farewell to our friend from the northern part of
Illinois, from the Sixth District of Illinois, we say God speed. We say
job well done. We say what an honor it has been for those of us not
only from Illinois but for the entire body to say that we have served
with a giant, a giant in so many ways, a giant known as Henry J. Hyde,
the Congressman from the Sixth District, the former chairman of the
Judiciary Committee, the current chairman of the Committee on
International Relations, someone who has made a mark in the history of
the House, made a mark in the history of politics in Illinois, and will
long be remembered for his distinguished career.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield now to my colleague
from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).
Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Kirk
for helping arrange this and my colleagues who are making their way to
the floor to honor a great friend and a great leader, someone who
sometimes there are people here who you just don't feel you are worthy
enough to speak in support of.
Chairman Hyde has been an ardent spokesman for what is good about
America. He has been a believer in democracy, in freedom, and the rule
of law. He has been an outspoken supporter of the right to life and
protecting those who have no say in our society. And I guess as
colleagues come to the floor on both sides of the aisle, I think they
will agree with me that Chairman Hyde is an ideologue but has never
allowed his ideology to get in the way of his ability to be honorable,
respectful, thoughtful, open, and in such a way that he has earned
great respect from this institution.
Many people have legacies that they leave throughout life in very
different areas of careers. Chairman Hyde's legacy will be one of a
conservative beliefs and one who put his heart and soul not only into
his values and beliefs but into this institution. He cherishes it. He
loves it. And it would be good for us, all Members, to remember the
life that Chairman Hyde led in his chosen career, field, which is as a
legislator at this level, and emulate that type of service. And I think
we will be well served as a Nation to follow Chairman Hyde's lead.
I wish him the best, God's blessings on him, and thank him for his
service to this great Nation.
[[Page H8930]]
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would now like to yield to another admirer
because Henry had so, so many admirers on both sides of the aisle and
one of them was our colleague from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
(Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to, first of all, thank
my colleagues, Representatives Kirk and Shimkus from Illinois, for
giving us the opportunity to take this moment to pay tribute and
commend the life, the work, and I would even extend to the point of
saying the legacy, of Chairman Henry Hyde.
As a matter of fact, Henry's district is next door to mine. His
district is number six. Mine is number seven. And oftentimes I find
myself in his community, in his neighborhood. And I sometimes go to an
eating establishment, that is a restaurant, where he is a legend. And
generally every time I go in there, someone is exploiting and extolling
the virtues of Henry Hyde, and they are talking about they remember the
time when Henry did this, Henry did that. I agree with Representative
Shimkus that although ideologically bent, Henry has always been a
gentleman and a scholar, a true gentleman and a pleasant person to work
with. I am delighted to have served with him, wish him well, and know
that we are still going to bump into each other occasionally in that
great restaurant where he likes to eat.
Have a good time, Henry. We look forward to seeing you.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, we have a number of admirers of Henry Hyde.
One who served with him longer than almost any other Member in the
House of the Representatives is my colleague from California,
Congressman Lungren.
Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the
gentleman for yielding.
It is a privilege and a distinct pleasure to be able to say a few
words about Henry Hyde, someone I consider to be a friend but also who
I consider to be part of the institution of the House of
Representatives and in many ways a true hero.
{time} 1515
We count probably on one hand the number of inspirational people that
we either have read about in history or have met in person. I count my
father as one of my heroes. I count Abraham Lincoln as one of my
heroes. I count Ronald Reagan as one of my heroes, and I count Henry
Hyde as one of my heroes. Of that group, there is only one with whom I
was able to serve in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary
Committee for 10 consecutive years, a number of those years sitting
directly beside Henry Hyde. He was not only an excellent practitioner
of the art of politics, but he was a true scholar. If you have ever had
the opportunity to sit with Henry Hyde as he thinks about a response to
a question, thinks about a response to an argument that has been made
on the floor or the committee, you see a man in real thought, in deep
thought.
If you have ever had the opportunity to be there when he then began
his response, you were educated, you were edified, you were inspired by
what he had to say. And you knew he took it seriously, but he never
took himself too seriously. We could do no better in this House of
Representatives as we embark on a new Congress in which the majority
has shifted, and as we attempt to try and figure out how we treat one
another, to think of the example of Henry Hyde.
I can recall in the years when we were in the minority, Henry Hyde
oftentimes arguing in the well of the House with passion and
compassion, with intellect, sometimes with a slight bit of humor,
sometimes even sarcasm, but it was good-natured sarcasm. And as he
ended, he would go to the other side of the well and seek out his
opponent and oftentimes give him or her a playful punch in the arm and
tell them a joke to alleviate the pressure. And that was Henry Hyde,
fighting for his principles, but always attempting to have a level of
civility in this House that we desperately need.
Henry Hyde was here a couple of years before I first came in 1979,
and he was sitting on the floor of the House with another Member when a
certain appropriation bill came through, and they thought, you know, we
have been talking about doing something on the issue of the unborn, and
maybe we ought to put pen to paper and write out an amendment. That was
the birth of the Hyde amendment, not something that had been done by
staff, as good as they are, and worked on for months or for years, but
sitting here on the floor of the House, inspired by the debate that had
gone on and thinking, you know, maybe I can make a difference by just
writing out an amendment and sending it up to the Clerk and having it
read, having it introduced and having it become an issue of prime
importance on which Members can disagree here; but there is no doubt
that it, in many ways, focused that debate in a very serious way, and
it continues to this day.
I was with Henry Hyde when he thought about the speech given by the
Governor of New York, Mr. Cuomo, at my alma mater, Notre Dame, about
the proper role of someone who has faith and seeks to be a politician
and elected official. And Mario Cuomo's speech at Notre Dame was lauded
by many across the Nation as the best exposition of one in public life
attempting to try and make that proper balance between their private
views and their public views. But Henry was troubled by the overall
approach that was utilized by Governor Cuomo, and he had the
opportunity to respond about 2 months later when he spoke to the law
school at the University of Notre Dame. He later put that speech in a
small book and it was called ``For Every Idle Silence.'' And it is a
phrase that suggests that we will be held responsible, not only for
every act that we do, but for every idle silence we do in the face of a
moral dispute. If anybody has the occasion to go back and look at that
speech, it is one of the most profound statements on how one can
resolve in his or her own mind how you can be faithfully an American
and faithful to your faith, all at the same time.
Henry Hyde had that unique ability to bring the force of intellect,
the power of faith, and unquenchable desire to make sure America stood
tall, and a profound understanding of the Constitution that you rarely
see combined in one individual. This place has been ennobled by the
participation in the debate by Henry Hyde. This place has been honored
by Henry Hyde's presence here. And while he leaves us as he retires,
his spirit will not leave. His example will not be in vain. And those
of us, as we look through troubled times, as we attempt to try and come
up with a public policy to respond to the threat that some call the war
on terror and I call the war on Islamofascism, as we attempt to try and
figure out how do we garner the power of this Nation to respond to that
threat and at the same time guarantee the protections of civil
liberties that are enshrined in our Constitution, we could do no better
than look to Henry Hyde for inspiration.
And I know that as long as I serve in this body, my model for a
Member of the House of Representatives will always be Henry Hyde.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, Henry Hyde was known as a strong Republican
partisan, but he also had a number of bipartisan achievements, one of
them in backing the assault weapons ban, also in supporting Jesse
Jackson, Jr. on his effort to build a third airport in Chicago at
Piaton. And one of the men who have worked with Henry Hyde and seen his
legacy is my colleague from Illinois, Congressman Lipinski, and I yield
to him.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Thank you, Congressman Kirk, for the opportunity to
come today to speak about Henry Hyde, who has been a great statesman,
who has served his district from Illinois and the Nation in such a
great manner for so many years. It is a great honor to rise to
recognize his dedication as a public servant and as a skilled
legislator, and a real pillar, especially in the foreign policy
community.
Since 1975, Congressman Hyde has faithfully served his constituency
in the Chicagoland area. And all Americans, now, on his retirement, we
take this opportunity to thank Henry for his outstanding contributions
and influence on our country.
Before entering the U.S. House, Representative Hyde served in the
Illinois General Assembly, beginning in 1966, which I note is the year
that I was born. So I don't quite remember that, when Henry first
started serving the
[[Page H8931]]
State legislature. But he rose in the State legislature to the position
of majority leader, and he earned a reputation as an articulate
debater.
When he was then elected to Congress, he brought his knowledge, his
skills and his passion to the House to serve our country. In the House
he has served on the Select Committee on Intelligence, he has chaired
the Committee on the Judiciary, and currently chairs the Committee on
International Relations.
Because of his work, his tenure and his record, the Chicago Tribune
has called Hyde one of the most respected Members of Congress, and an
eloquent and intellectual powerhouse.
Now, I remember back in 1983, my father had first been elected to the
House. I remember coming here and how thrilled I was to have the
opportunity to meet Henry Hyde. He was so well known. Everyone knew
what an articulate man he was and how much passion he had, how much
knowledge he had; and he was a true statesman. And I really respected
his position that he took in his fight against the Soviet Union in the
Cold War. That is something I really respected. And because everybody,
no matter where they stood on any issue, had so much respect for Henry
Hyde, it was a thrill back then to meet Henry.
Now I have had the privilege of serving for 2 years with Henry in the
House; and I know I have heard, through my 2 years, stories from
Members and their experiences with Henry over the years. And I have
talked with Jim Oberstar about the Hyde amendment and how Jim would
talk with Henry about this and how they worked together to bring forth
the Hyde amendment.
Henry is willing to work together to reach consensus and to reach
important goals for our country. No matter what you thought about where
he stood on issues, you listened to Henry Hyde because you knew when he
spoke he would be eloquent, he would have good arguments, and you
should listen to him.
Now, I am very happy that I had this opportunity to serve with Henry.
He has served our Nation so well. He has served the State of Illinois
so well, and I know that his legacy will certainly reflect his
commitment to Illinois, to his district, and to our Nation. His
insights, his passion, and his presence will deeply be missed.
He truly was also a man of faith, which he brought here and always
used that; it was always important to what he did in the House. We wish
Henry all the best in his retirement. And we are all truly grateful for
his service.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I yield to the majority leader.
Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, the conference report I am filing is the
conference report on the nuclear agreement, the India nuclear agreement
which will be named after our esteemed colleague, Henry Hyde, who is on
the verge of his retirement.
When I came here some 16 years ago, I think one of the first meetings
I had as a Member was with Henry. And I went to Henry because he was
one of the most respected Members of the House. I thought I could learn
something from him, and, as importantly, I wanted him to know who I
was.
But over the years, I have learned an awful lot from Henry Hyde. And
I can remember vividly the spring of 1995 when the Republicans had
taken control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years. We had
pledged that we would move the Contract with America in the first 100
days of a Republican Congress. And I don't think any of us realized the
amount of work that was involved in that contract, nor how much of it
fell within the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee of which Henry
Hyde was the new chairman.
And Mr. Hyde, in his committee, worked tirelessly day and night for
93 days to produce their part of the Contract with America. And I
remember sitting in leadership meetings where we were concerned about
Henry's health during that 93 days. And here it is, some almost 11
years later, Henry is strong, still with us and still doing a great job
and producing good work.
It was an honor for me to serve with Henry Hyde, and I was proud that
he supported me to be the majority leader. Thinking back some 16 years
ago, I would have never looked at myself as a potential majority
leader. I would have been looking towards Henry. But he is a fine man
and a great asset to this institution.
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize one of his
subcommittee chairmen, Congressman Royce from California.
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I am rising also to honor Henry Hyde. As
every Member of the House is aware, Mr. Hyde will be retiring from
Congress after the end of this year after 32 years of service, not only
to the people of the State of Illinois, but of service to the people of
this country.
Chairman Hyde took over the Committee on International Relations when
the 107th Congress began; and if we think back to that time, that was
January of 2001. Most of us weren't thinking that foreign policy would
soon be at the forefront of Congress's agenda.
{time} 1530
But, of course, not long after that, on September 11, our Nation was
attacked, and our agenda changed. I know that my colleagues had added
confidence knowing that Henry Hyde would be leading the Committee on
International Relations as we confront the terrorist threat. Their
confidence proved to be well placed.
Chairman Hyde has said, you know, you want to be thought of well by
the people you work with. You like to earn their respect. I would like
that to be my legacy.
Well, Madam Speaker, that will be the legacy of Chairman Hyde. The
gentleman from Illinois has earned the respect of his colleagues with
his hard work, with his fairness, with his intellectual prowess and
good-natured Irish wit.
Madam Speaker, it is often said that politics don't stop at the
water's edge. Chairman Hyde has personified that adage. He is a leader
for all of us. Other committees in the House, and indeed the Congress
as a whole, would do well to take their cue from Chairman Henry Hyde.
The issues being dealt with in our committee, issues of war and peace,
are just too important to succumb to partisan rancor.
Though he has been tried at times, Henry Hyde understands that we are
Americans more than we are Republicans and Democrats. He makes many of
us a little prouder to serve in Congress.
Madam Speaker, the House would do well to consider carefully the
chairman's words delivered earlier this year. I wish the chairman's
speech, titled ``Perils of the Golden Theory,'' had received greater
attention than it did. It is profound and poignant, as is usual with
Henry Hyde.
Chairman Hyde provided a cautionary note. I am going to quote from
him for that speech. ``For some, the promotion of democracy promises an
easy solution to the many difficult problems we face, a guiding light
on a dimly seen horizon. But I believe the great caution is warranted
here.''
The chairman went on, ``But we also have a duty to ourselves and to
our own interests, the protection and advancement of which may
sometimes necessitate actions focused on more tangible returns than
those of altruism. Lashing our interests to the indiscriminate
promotion of democracy is a tempting but unwarranted strategy, more a
leap of faith than a sober calculation.''
The chairman was reminding us that there is no single solution to
solving the world's complex problems, and that we must challenge
ourselves to better understand the world, to better understand its
millenniums of recorded history and culture, if we are to navigate
these very challenging times.
Chairman Hyde's message, I believe, was, yes, try to make the world a
better place, but get there by dealing with the world as it is, not as
we wish it was to be. It was a speech of a hopeful realist.
Madam Speaker, we should listen to men who have seen as much in their
lifetime as Chairman Hyde. While times change, much has remained the
same since the days that a young Henry Hyde fought for his Nation in
the Pacific theater, for human nature is immutable. But looking to
Chairman Hyde for guidance, and I hope we will hear from him in the
years to come, and should we look to him for guidance, I am sure our
Nation will be more secure.
Mr. KIRK. I yield to the chairman of the Agriculture Committee,
another
[[Page H8932]]
Henry Hyde aficionado, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
(Mr. GOODLATTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is a real honor
to rise in tribute to a great American statesman, Henry Hyde.
Madam Speaker, Henry Hyde is somebody that I knew of by reputation
before I arrived here at Congress in 1993. It has been one of the true
privileges of my service here to get to know and work with this
outstanding man. He is known throughout the world in diplomatic circles
as a great ambassador for the United States, as chairman of the
International Relations Committee.
I have had the opportunity to see him in action with Presidents and
Prime Ministers, to see the kind of respect that he commands from world
leaders because of his leadership of that committee and because of his
great concern for the promotion of American interests around the world.
Those interests are very pure, interests of promoting democracy and
opportunity, freedom and peace, for people in every corner of the
globe. I have not had the privilege of serving on the International
Relations Committee, but I have had the opportunity to serve for 14
years on the Judiciary Committee with Henry Hyde. Not only is he a
great statesman on the international stage, but he is clearly also a
great statesman in promoting and protecting the Constitution of the
United States, the people's Constitution, as he views it, and as he has
protected it for many, many years in his service here in the Congress.
I have, as one of my prize possessions, a gavel that he used during
the impeachment proceedings with regard to former President Clinton.
The impeachment proceedings are not a happy or pleasant circumstance,
and I don't prize the gavel because of the circumstances, but I prize
it because it was used by Henry Hyde with courage, with integrity and
with forthrightness and handling, in a very diplomatic and very
statesmanlike way, what was clearly the most challenging thing that he
dealt with in his entire career.
He did it with great dignity. He did it correctly, he did it with
great sacrifice as well, because he faced bitter, unfair, false attacks
from many quarters for his facing up to that challenge, and I was proud
to serve with him on that committee in that regard.
He is also known as a champion for life in America and around the
world, and I think that may perhaps be his greatest legacy of all.
Because to Henry Hyde, life is not just about one issue, abortion or
any other issue, it is about human dignity and about preserving and
protecting and giving opportunity to each and every one of us. As a
young and new Member of Congress, he took me and guided me through many
challenges when we became the majority party.
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, a new member of the
committee, he gave me opportunities to lead the management of
legislation and amendments here on the floor of the House, and I will
be forever indebted to Henry Hyde for making my career in the Congress
greater, and this institution a greater institution because of his
dedication and service. Thank you.
Mr. KIRK. I thank the chairman. Pat Durante, who has worked for Henry
Hyde since 1974, said that Henry is now in the Guinness Book of World
Records as having done the most number of parades of any sitting Member
of Congress at that time.
To mark that service, I yield to my colleague from Illinois (Mr.
Manzullo), the chairman of the Small Business Committee.
Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, it was a scene reminiscent of the
courtroom scene when Scout was asked by the pastor to stand up when her
father was leaving the courtroom in To Kill a Mockingbird. When Atticus
Finch got up to leave, the pastor turned to Scout and said, ``Scout,
your father is leaving the courtroom. Please stand.'' And everybody
stood.
I was a freshman in 1993. Henry Hyde, for some reason procedurally
had been unable to offer his Hyde amendment. William Natcher from
Kentucky, who was the chairman of the Appropriations Committee when
there was tremendous opposition to Mr. Hyde getting the Hyde amendment
through, and he needed unanimous consent to do that, Mr. Natcher stood
up and said, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois wishes to offer a
unanimous consent motion with which I agree heartily. At that point Mr.
Natcher was looking at everybody on the floor, and Henry Hyde got up,
and was allowed to offer that amendment, without objection.
It was indeed the scene from To Kill a Mockingbird, because were it
not for the significance and importance and now the posterity that he
will leave with this magnificent gentleman from Illinois, that
unanimous consent never would have been honored by this body.
We don't have a lot of Henry Hydes around anymore. This place is less
for that. But one thing we will always have as he leaves this body,
being the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, is that spirit, that
wit, that always gave rise to the fact that when in the midst of
Members of Congress, somebody yelled out the name ``Congressman,'' we
all would turn and look at Henry Hyde.
Mr. KIRK. I thank my colleague from Illinois.
Madam Speaker, I would just note that the conference report on the
bill that we just filed, H.R. 5692, is called the Henry J. Hyde United
States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006.
To mark that bipartisan spirit of Henry's leadership on our foreign
policy, that partisanship should end at the water's edge, I recognize
my colleague, Congressman Faleomavaega.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I do thank my good friend and colleague for giving
me this opportunity, Madam Speaker. I had to literally run to the
floor, only to find out that this important piece of legislation is a
special tribute not only to our colleague, but certainly a special
friend and a mentor, and what I consider as an institution, an
institutional, outstanding leader in our Nation, about to retire.
Madam Speaker, in this conference report I want to express my support
of the U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Act of 2006, and I commend the
chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the ranking
member, Mr. Lantos, of the International Relations Committee, Senator
Richard Lugar and Senator Joseph Biden, chairman and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate, for moving
this legislation forward.
With my time remaining, I wish I had more time, I cannot help but to
say that we are going to miss one of the most outstanding leaders that
we have had in our Nation, and I want to pay that special tribute to my
good friend, and he is like a father to most of us, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hyde), whom I am going to miss very much.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the U.S. and India Nuclear
Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006 and I commend Chairman Henry Hyde and
Ranking Member Tom Lantos of the House International Relations
Committee, and Senators Richard Lugar and Joseph Biden, Chairman and
ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, for their
leadership in moving this legislation forward.
While some of our critics may argue that India has not signed the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPS), I submit that had it not been
for our country's indifference, or benign neglect, if you will, India
may have been a member of the nuclear club years ago and our discussion
about the NPT would be a moot point. To be specific, India had a
civilian nuclear program in place prior to the NPT being opened for
signature in 1968 and, at the time, India was only months away from
possessing nuclear weapons. But, in 1967, the U.S. joined with the
Soviet Union in crafting a nuclear nonproliferation treaty which to
this day states that only the United States, Russia, the United
Kingdom, China, and France are permitted to own nuclear weapons because
only these five nations possessed nuclear weapons at the time the
treaty was open for signature.
Again, India had a civilian nuclear program in place and was only
months away from possessing nuclear weapons prior to the NPT being
opened for signature in 1968. But U.S. policy toward India precluded
India from becoming a member of the exclusive nuclear club and this is
why I agree with India's position that the NPT is, and has always been,
flawed and discriminatory.
In fact, history speaks for itself. In 1962, when China attacked
India, the U.S. responded by saying it might protect India against a
future attack. But when China exploded its first nuclear bomb in 1964,
the U.S.
[[Page H8933]]
welcomed China as a member of the nuclear club and we also supported
China's bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security
Council.
In 1965, when Pakistan attacked India, the U.S. remained neutral
while China outspokenly supported Pakistan. Concerned for its own
security and having little reason to rely on the U.S., India announced
in 1966 that it would produce nuclear weapons and it is little wonder
that India exploded its first nuclear device in 1974. Recent U.S. State
Department declassified documents on U.S. foreign policy show that
India had little choice given the hostile attitude assumed by the
United States towards India during the Nixon/Kissinger years.
As we all can agree, India then and India today lives in one of the
world's toughest regions and it is somewhat Eurocentric for the U.S. to
treat India as if it is beholden to us for the safety, protection and
well-being of her people. It is no grand gesture on our part that we
now offer India civil nuclear cooperation. Instead, U.S.-India civil
nuclear cooperation is long overdue and, quite frankly, the deal is as
good for us as it is for India.
Madam Speaker, I commend President Bush and Prime Minister Singh for
bringing this initiative to the table. I also applaud the efforts of
Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns who is the unsung hero of U.S.-
India civil nuclear cooperation. As the lead negotiator for this
agreement, he has represented this nation's interest with unprecedented
distinction and I am honored to have worked with him during these
critical months leading up to today's historic vote.
I also want to thank Mr. Sanjay Puri who worked in cooperation with
Under Secretary Burns and Members of the House and Senate to bolster
support for this agreement since the day it was first announced. I
commend him for being a part of today's victory and I urge my
colleagues to vote in favor of the conference report.
Mr. KIRK. I yield to my colleague, Henry Hyde, a neighbor and
colleague representing DuPage County, the gentlewoman from Illinois
(Mrs. Biggert).
Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding.
I rise to honor my colleague and friend, Congressman Henry Hyde. I am
in the district next to Mr. Hyde. But as a freshman I used to say, try
and get press when your district is sandwiched in between Henry Hyde
and the Speaker.
I think the one thing that I just will miss on the House floor about
Henry is his jokes. Whenever you are feeling blue, whenever you just
needed a pick-me-up, there was Henry sitting on the aisle and then over
here. I just would go up, and he would give the joke of his day, which
always made you feel really good.
He is always gracious and always ready to give credit to his
colleagues. One time he used a joke that I used to open speeches with.
He would always give me credit. He would say, ``as Judy Biggert says,''
and then go on with the joke.
I think that the House needs more Henry Hydes. Probably Congress
hasn't been so well thought of these days, and lately by the public.
Our image seems to be a little bit tarnished. But I think Henry Hyde
has always stood out in this body as a statesman. I can remember coming
here as a freshman and going to our Republican Conference.
When he would come in the room, people would stand and clap. He just
walked into the room, and he has always just stood out like that. I
think the one thing that we could all really want to do is to follow
him as far as the statesmanship and not just what people think of us
politicians. So we are going to miss him, but I think the institution
has become a better place because Henry Hyde has been here, and we will
miss him.
{time} 1545
Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Hastert), the Speaker of the House, and also a next-door neighbor of
Henry Hyde in his service.
Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for taking this
time and recognizing certainly one of the greatest modern statesmen
that this House has had the honor of having as one of its Members.
Henry Hyde is a person who I have got to know in cutting my teeth in
politics. As a young teacher who decided to take a run for the State
legislature after about 16 years of teaching, I was, to say, a little
wet behind the ears. I was a novice. Part of this district that I had
was DuPage County, which is the land of great Republicans and was
outside of my home county, but, nonetheless, I had to represent part of
it.
Every time that I would go on the dais or the podium, usually late in
the program, I would follow Henry Hyde. Henry Hyde, of course, was this
great, well-known statesman, the person who came to Congress in 1972,
that fought the fights, that was the leader, that carried the banner of
conservative Republicanism, and I was the schoolteacher who was just
cutting my teeth.
I got to learn a little bit from Henry Hyde. I learned that if you
wanted to keep people's attention, you had to have a little bit of
humor, you had to keep to the point, you had to be loquacious. Well, I
never quite learned to be loquacious, but, anyway, Henry had that
quality, and he still does.
One of the greatest speeches that I heard just recently was a speech
honoring Henry Hyde in the City of Chicago. Of course, there were a
great multitude of supporters and people who have worked with Henry
over the years present. Henry Hyde took the mike and for about 25
minutes laid out a wonderful litany of ideas, of challenges, of
experience that this man has had in politics, from the State of
Illinois, from the State legislature, then on to Congress and then went
on to be a national leader and a national spokesman.
I think our Members from Illinois have learned that this great
gentleman is not only a great leader, he is certainly a great
spokesman, but he is a friend, somebody that you can sit down and share
your concerns with or ask opinions or get a little lesson. Henry is
that kind of man.
I am very honored, because Henry Hyde will now be a resident of my
district. He is going to find a house down along the shores of the Fox
River in northern Illinois, and I will be honored to have him as one of
my constituents.
So to Henry, God love you. We love you. You have been a great leader.
You have been a person who we are certainly honored to have served with
and a person who we will hold very, very closely to our hearts for
years to come.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Coble) may proceed for 5 minutes without prejudice to
resumption of business.
There was no objection.
Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, 5 months ago a constituent came to me back
home and said, Oh, Howard, who is the most eloquent Member of the
Congress? Without hesitation, I replied, Henry Hyde.
She then asked, Well, who is the most eloquent Member of the Senate?
I said, Oh, when I answered you, I was including the Senate. Henry Hyde
is the most eloquent Member of the entire Congress.
I told Henry that story on the floor this week, and he said, Howard,
that is why I am going to miss you.
Henry Hyde appointed me to Chair the Judiciary Subcommittee on
Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, which I did for 6
years, for three terms. During that time, the ranking Democrat was the
distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Howard Berman, and as far
as I can recall, Madam Speaker, neither Howard Berman nor I ever had a
cross word with Henry Hyde, nor did he have a cross word with Mr.
Berman or me. I will always remember that, and I thank Henry for having
named me to chair that subcommittee.
Madam Speaker, I asked him on the floor this week what his plans
were. Henry replied, I plan to have C-SPAN nearby. Well, he may have C-
SPAN, but C-SPAN will never be the same, Madam Speaker and colleagues,
without the presence of Henry Hyde, the distinguished gentleman from
Illinois.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, the House just isn't going to
be the same without Henry Hyde--one of the rarest, most accomplished
and most distinguished Members of Congress ever to serve.
Henry Hyde is a class act. He is a man of deep and abiding faith, he
is generous to a fault and he has an incisive mind that works
seamlessly with his incredible sense of humor. He is a man who inspires
and challenges us to look beyond surface appeal arguments. He is a
speaker of truth in a society that all too often is willing to accept
cheap sophism, the plausible and the fraudulent. And Henry Hyde compels
us to take seriously the admonitions of Holy Scripture to care for the
downtrodden, the vulnerable and the least of our brethren.
[[Page H8934]]
The Almanac of American Politics has written that Henry Hyde is ``one
of the most respected and intellectually honest members of the House''
and ``has proven himself as one of the most eloquent members of the
House'' and that his ``speeches are classics.''
In abortion debates Henry Hyde remains the great defender of children
and their moms, the champion of the most fundamental of all human
rights--the right to life. Because of the Hyde amendment countless
young children and adults walk on this earth today and have an
opportunity to prosper because they were spared destruction when they
were most at risk. With malice towards none, Henry Hyde often took to
this microphone to politely ask us to show compassion and respect--even
love--for the innocent and inconvenient baby about to be annihilated.
In one speech here on this floor he stated, ``for over two centuries of
our national history, we have struggled to create a society of
inclusion--we keep widening the circle of those for whom we are
responsible--the aged, the infirm, the poor. Slaves were freed, women
were enfranchised, civil rights and voting rights acts were passed, our
public spaces made accessible to the handicapped, Social Security for
the elderly--all in the name of widening the circle of inclusion and
protection. This great trajectory in our national history has been
shattered by Roe v. Wade and its progeny. By denying an entire class of
human beings the welcome and protection of our laws, we have betrayed
the best in our tradition. We have also put at risk every life which
someday someone might find inconvenient. What I ask here today,
``welcome the little stranger.''
In another speech on U.S. foreign policy in the 21st century given in
Committee back in 2001, Henry eloquently summed up the challenges and I
quote in part ``As a new century opens, the United States finds itself
at a unique moment, not only in its own history, but in that of the
world as well. We stand at the pinnacle of power: in virtually every
area--military, economic, technological, cultural, political--we enjoy
a primacy that is unprecedented and virtually unchallenged. Our
potential at times seems unlimited, to some perhaps even permanent. . .
. But as pleasant as these thoughts may be, I confess that I also see
much that concerns me. . . . The concern I speak of is the longer-term,
specifically how well we will use the enormous power we currently
possess to secure the future for our country and the generations to
come. The wealth of opportunities we currently possess are not
permanent; the luxury of choice may be a passing one. To believe that
we shall always be above the fray, untouched and untouchable by the
forces of destruction still at work in this world, is a dangerous
illusion . . . The principal problem, the one that concerns me the
most, is that we have no long-term strategy, no practical plan for
shaping the future. . . . Despite our power, we must resist the
temptation of believing we can fix every problem, indulge in every
wish. Part of our strategy must be to decide what we cannot do, what we
choose not to do, and to ensure that others take up their
responsibilities. . . . So even as we revel in our good fortune, my
great hope is that we will use this gift of time to plan for the
future, unhurried, uncoerced, but mindful of the task at hand, aware
that our opportunity to do so is a mortal one. The choice is clear: We
can either shape the future or have it shape us. A century ago, Britain
stood majestically at the height of her power. Within 40 years, the
knife was at her throat, and she survived only because the United
States was there to rescue her. But, Mr. Secretary, as you are well
aware, there is no one to rescue us. That is why we must think long and
hard about how we can use the opportunities that Providence and the
labors of two centuries have provided us to so shape the world that the
need for rescue never occurs.''
A Congressman for 32 years, a Chairman for 6 years of the Judiciary
Committee and for another 6 years Chairman of the International
Relations Committee, Henry has been a prodigious lawmaker. With uncanny
skill, determination and grace, he has crafted numerous, historic
bipartisan laws and common sense policies that have lifted people out
of poverty, helped alleviate disease, strengthened the U.S. Code to
protect victims and get the criminals off the streets and has been
magnificent in his defense of democracy and freedom both here and
overseas.
One of his many legislative accomplishments includes his authorship
of the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a 5-year
$15 billion plan to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. During
the debate Chairman Hyde was positively incisive as he compared the
HIV/AIDS crisis to the Bubonic plague of the 14th century--the black
death--and challenged us to enact a comprehensive program, which we
did, to rescue the sick, assist the dying and prevent the contagion
from spreading.
Having served with this brilliant one-of-a-kind lawmaker for my 26
years here, I hope Henry Hyde knows that I--and so many others--will
truly miss him. He is as irreplaceable as irreplaceable can get.
Mr. BUYER. Madam. Speaker. I rise to salute one of the greatest
Members of this body, Henry Hyde.
Congressman Hyde has a distinguished career in public service,
beginning with his service in the Navy during World War II. Following
service in the Illinois General Assembly, Mr. Hyde won election to the
House of Representatives in 1974, admittedly a tough year for
Republicans.
It was not long before Henry's leadership and steadfastness to
principle became apparent to this House. Henry has been a stalwart
defender of the rights of the unborn, and has pushed the Congress to
see clearly the impact of its decisions on the defenseless.
I have been honored to serve with Henry while he was Chairman of the
Judiciary Committee, enduring long markups to move the Contract with
America legislation, equipping our law enforcement with the tools to
fight terrorism, and combating the scourge of drugs in our society.
His amiable personality hides an individual who doesn't shy from a
fight, especially for upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, and
other interests of the United States.
He is a true giant in this House. His presence next Congress will be
missed and I am honored to call him friend.
____________________