[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING LEO T. McCARTHY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 13, 2007

  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend and 
fellow Californian, Leo T. McCarthy, who passed away February 5, 2007. 
A devoted public servant, Mr. McCarthy dedicated his life to serving 
his country and the people of the State of California.
  During his long career of service to our Nation, Mr. McCarthy 
distinguished himself as a fierce advocate for economic justice, social 
equality, and freedom for all. Joining the United States Air Force in 
1951, he served with distinction and honor during the Korean War. From 
there, Mr. McCarthy entered into public life and was elected as the 
youngest member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in city 
history. Soon after, he was elected to the California State Assembly, 
and quickly rose to become Speaker of the Assembly. As Speaker, he 
championed the causes of human rights, education, and environmentalism, 
securing major legislative victories while bringing more openness and 
transparency to the process.
  Mr. McCarthy's tremendous record in the Assembly catapulted him to 
prominence and he was elected Lieutenant Governor of California in 
1982. A brilliant executive, he expertly coordinated the relief effort 
for the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. Recognizing his 
service, the people of California returned him to office for a record 
breaking three terms until he retired from politics in 1994. Even in 
retirement, he remained engaged in the lives of Californians, raising 
over one million dollars to endow the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public 
Service and the Common Good at the University of California of San 
Francisco.
  In addition to his dedicated public service, he was devoted to his 
family. Even while serving in Sacramento at the very top of California 
politics, he drove home almost every night to be with his wife, 
Jacqueline, and his children, Sharon, Conna, Adam, and Niall.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the very best that 
the State of California has to offer in Leo T. McCarthy. He was a 
leader, a statesman, and he will be sorely missed.

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