[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2203-H2207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEO T. McCARTHY AND EXPRESSING
PROFOUND SORROW ON HIS DEATH
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 180) honoring the life and achievements of Leo T.
McCarthy and expressing profound sorrow on his death.
The Clerk read as follows
H. Res. 180
Whereas Leo McCarthy was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on
August 15, 1930;
Whereas Leo McCarthy immigrated to the United States with
his parents at the age of three and settled in San Francisco,
California;
Whereas Leo McCarthy earned his undergraduate degree from
the University of San Francisco and his law degree from San
Francisco Law School;
Whereas Leo McCarthy served the United States in an
intelligence unit of the Strategic Air Command of the United
States Air Force from 1951 to 1952 during the Korean War;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected to the San Francisco Board
of Supervisors in 1963 and again in 1967;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected to the California Assembly
in 1968 and served until 1982;
Whereas Leo McCarthy led the California Assembly with honor
and distinction as its Speaker from 1974 until 1980;
Whereas Leo McCarthy instituted reforms in the California
Assembly to provide more accountability and greater public
access;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was a champion of coastal protection
and secured passage of the California Coastal Act;
Whereas Leo McCarthy worked to secure permanent financing
for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected Lieutenant Governor of the
State of California three times, serving from 1982 through
1994;
Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Feminization of
Poverty Task Force, comprised of women leaders from business
executives to former welfare recipients to develop ways to
overcome economic barriers that confront women;
Whereas Leo McCarthy helped implement the Greater Avenues
for Independence (GAIN) program to help welfare recipients
move into the workforce;
Whereas Leo McCarthy collaborated with business leaders and
advocates to publish ``Child Care: The Bottom Line'' to
educate businesses about the economic and productivity
benefits of employer-provided child care;
Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Nursing Home Patients'
Protection Act, which made landmark improvements in the
treatment of patients in nursing homes;
Whereas Leo McCarthy drafted and sponsored a resolution
declaring breast cancer an epidemic in California and called
for Federal action;
[[Page H2204]]
Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Mammography Quality
Assurance Act to create new standards governing mammography
facilities and technology;
Whereas Leo McCarthy worked to promote minority and women-
owned businesses, publishing and distributing 100,000 copies
of the award-winning guide, ``Starting and Succeeding in
Business: A Special Publication for Small, Minority, and
Women-Owned Businesses'';
Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Task Force on the
Seriously Mentally Ill to develop an alternative service
delivery system to assist Californians suffering from severe
mental illnesses;
Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Chemical Safety Act to
facilitate toxic waste prevention and cleanup;
Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Lieutenant Governor's
Commission on the Prevention of Hate Violence to investigate
the causes of hate crimes and identify innovative ways of
promoting tolerance;
Whereas Leo McCarthy, serving as acting Governor, led the
State of California through the initial turmoil of the 1989
Loma Prieta earthquake;
Whereas Leo McCarthy served on the University of California
Board of Regents and the California State University Board of
Trustees;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was twice a candidate for the United
States Senate;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was appointed to the National Gambling
Impact Study Commission;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was a beloved mentor to generations of
public servants;
Whereas Leo McCarthy founded the Leo T. McCarthy Center for
Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San
Francisco;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was, for 51 years, the beloved husband
of Jacqueline Burke McCarthy;
Whereas Leo McCarthy was the father of two daughters and
two sons, and grandfather of 11;
Whereas Leo McCarthy earned the highest respect of the
people of California for his record of accomplishment on
their behalf; and
Whereas the House of Representatives has learned of the
death of Leo McCarthy on February 5, 2007: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives----
(1) expresses its profound sorrow and deep condolences to
the McCarthy family on the occasion of the death of Leo
McCarthy on February 5, 2007; and
(2) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to
transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Leo
McCarthy.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms.
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, public service is the cornerstone of living
democracy. That said, I do fervently believe it takes a special person
to give their life to serve the public. I stand before you to honor an
individual who, for over 30 years, dedicated his life to public
servitude, former California Lieutenant Governor, Leo T. McCarthy.
Lieutenant Governor McCarthy was one who valued what was best for all
of Californians, not just those that were of means and access. Much of
this can be attributed to McCarthy's humane beginnings as the child of
a poor immigrant family. It was during the time McCarthy's father,
Daniel, opened a pub which became the community haven for the local
Irish Catholic population, that young McCarthy became smitten with
service. In his youth, McCarthy engaged in many service-oriented
activities, which included early studies for the priesthood and service
within the United States Air Force.
After earning his law degree, he began a career in politics that
spanned over three decades. He served first as a member of the
California Board of Supervisors and, in 1968, won a State assembly
seat, where he eventually assumed the role of Speaker.
During his tenure in the California Assembly, McCarthy instituted a
number of reforms. He reduced the number of oversight committees,
provided members with bill analysis for floor sessions and provided
more accountability and greater public access.
Leo McCarthy was a man on a mission, and in 1982, he ascended to what
would become the pinnacle of his political career, the role of
Lieutenant Governor of the State of California. As Lieutenant Governor,
McCarthy wanted to unify the differing socioeconomic and cultural
climates of the State. He established the Feminization of Poverty Task
Force, which was comprised of women from all walks of life to develop
ways to overcome economic barriers common amongst women and girls.
He also enacted legislation to better regulate nursing home patients
and ensure that women had the best possible preventive care. He was an
advocate for minority and female-owned businesses, and coerced business
leaders into understanding the economic benefits of work site child
care facilities.
When asked to reflect about his years in the public sector, Leo
McCarthy said, ``I was lucky. I was in a position to make a
contribution. I felt very fortunate to have played a role. Some days
were miserable, and some unhappy, but there were a lot of days that
were great. There was a sense of satisfaction and being helpful to
people.''
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Leo McCarthy was a dedicated public servant and long
time political force in the San Francisco area for decades. It is with
sad news that we speak about him on the floor today after learning
about his recent death.
Throughout his political career, he worked tirelessly on issues such
as coastal protection, nursing home reform, breast cancer awareness,
female-owned small businesses, financing for the Bay Area Rapid Transit
System, employer provided child care and the prevention of hate crimes,
just to name a few.
He was born in Auckland, New Zealand and emigrated with his family to
California at the age of 4. The son of an Irish bar owner, he was
raised in San Francisco's Mission district and attended St. Ignatius
College Preparatory.
Before his political life began, he served his country proudly in the
Korean war in the U.S. Air Force. He earned his undergraduate degree
from the University of San Francisco and his law degree from San
Francisco law school.
He began his political career as the youngest member of the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1963 before serving on the California
Assembly from 1969 to 1982. He honorably led the California Assembly as
its Speaker from 1974 to 1980. He was elected to a record three terms
as Lieutenant Governor before retiring from politics in 1994. While
serving as Lieutenant Governor, he instituted reforms to provide more
accountability and greater public access. Among his work, he
established the Feminization of Poverty Task Force comprised of women
leaders from business executives to former welfare recipients to
develop ways to overcome economic barriers confronting women. He also
supported the Greater Avenues for Independence Program to help welfare
recipients enter the work force.
After retiring from politics in 1994, his passion and dedication to
public service continued with the creation of the Leo T. McCarthy
Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San
Francisco. The goal of the center is to inspire and equip students for
lives and careers of ethical public service and serving others. Since
its inception in the fall of 2001, the McCarthy Center has initiated
several programs including academic courses, public panels, internship
programs and faculty-led projects that engage students in the analysis
of social and political issues. Leo McCarthy's leadership in the center
spread inspiration throughout all the students and staff involved. It
exemplified his dedication to his community and to the greater good. He
will be greatly missed by all those who knew him and worked with him.
I ask all Members to join me in support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the author of the bill,
Representative Anna Eshoo from California, be given 5\1/2\ minutes to
speak.
[[Page H2205]]
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague and my
colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle for being here today to
pay tribute to really a great and very good man, Leo McCarthy.
I had the pleasure of knowing Leo for many, many, many years. He was
not only my mentor; he was my friend. He was dear to my family. But he
inspired me in public service. I had the privilege of serving as his
chief of staff of his district office, which was in San Francisco, at
the time, and I learned so much from him.
There are so many times, my colleagues, that the closer we get in
terms of view of someone, the less we may like what we see. With Leo
McCarthy, the closer I got, the more I saw, the more my respect for him
was deepened.
{time} 1545
He was a man of the fullest integrity. He was an honest man. An
honest man. And he made everyone proud of his service to people not
only in his beloved city of San Francisco but in the entire State of
California. I think he helped to make California more golden of a
State.
He was a policy wonk. He knew exactly why he had gone into government
service. In all of his years serving on the board of supervisors in the
city and county of San Francisco to his election to the assembly, the
California Assembly, to his elevation as Speaker of the California
Assembly, and then the time that he served as Lieutenant Governor,
political writers, the people that he served, the counties throughout
our State, 58 counties and the people that live in them, knew that Leo
McCarthy's word was golden, that he was there to serve them and that
that is what motivated him.
He was a great family man. All the years that he served in
Sacramento, he drove home every single evening to be with his family in
San Francisco. It was really the measure of the man. The love of his
life was Jackie McCarthy, and he always said that she did the hard work
because she was at home raising four extraordinary children: Sharon,
Conna, Niall, and Adam. I wish all of my colleagues could have heard
these four adults pay tribute to their father at St. Ignatius Church at
the magnificent funeral mass that was in celebration of his good life.
He was a man filled with faith, and he served at a very early time in
the minor seminary. And he said to me one day, Anna, that didn't last
too long. And I responded to him, Leo, it lasted a lifetime. Because he
blended his faith with the service that he gave to people and he was
rooted in it.
When he left public life, he went on, and in the latter years of his
all too short life, I think, I always wanted Leo to live forever, he
founded a center at the University of San Francisco, his alma mater
that he loved so much. And during the funeral mass, the Jesuits paid
tribute to him. There must have been 30 Jesuits on the alter, the
archbishop of San Francisco, the former bishop of Oakland, and the
auxiliary bishop, John Westor, all there to pay tribute to Leo
McCarthy. That Center for Public Service and the Common Good spoke of
Leo's desire to help students get involved in public policy at the
State, at the Federal, and the local levels.
Leo McCarthy had a singular friend that loved him in unquestioned
ways. He was his aid when Leo first went to Sacramento as a member of
the State legislature. He then was elected in his own right to the
State legislature. He then went on to become the mayor of San
Francisco. And that man is Art Agnos. Every single day of Leo's too
long illness, which marked all of last year, and at all other times in
his life but especially during that difficult time, Art Agnos was by
Leo's bedside every day, every night.
So, Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by thanking all the members of
the committee for passing the resolution. It will mean a great deal to
the family. I thank Josh Andrews in my office. I thank all of my
colleagues. I know this will mean a great deal to the family.
And I say to whomever is listening in, God rest Leo McCarthy's noble
soul.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my
distinguished colleague from the State of California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank very much my colleague
for yielding me this time.
I am very, very appreciative of this resolution being on the floor
today. A phrase oft used in the West would suggest that you should
``bring us men to match our mountains.'' And in California such men
have made truly a magnificent difference in the way the far West was
developed. Leo McCarthy certainly was at the top rank of those leaders.
I first met Leo McCarthy when he and I were elected to the State
legislature together. We were classmates and colleagues and friends. A
supervisor and assemblyman, became Speaker of the House, Lieutenant
Governor of our State, a magnificent leader who absolutely wallowed in
the business of public policy. He cared about making a difference on a
number of issues across the spectrum of those issues that impact
people's lives. He was a guy who was devoted to his family, as has been
suggested, but also devoted to public service.
As we pay tribute to Leo McCarthy today, let us seek other men and
women who would so serve, for, indeed, he is an example of the very
best among us and reflects the best of our public affairs.
Let me say that probably most important to me over the years was the
fact that Leo, while he played a very significant partisan role,
absolutely knew in his soul that real solutions did not come by way of
partisan confrontation. A magnificent leader who I am proud to say was
my very good friend.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request that Representative Jim Costa of
California speak for 2 minutes.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chair, ranking members, and
colleagues, especially those who, like myself, from California had an
opportunity to serve with Leo McCarthy.
Leo McCarthy, as has been said, put faith, family, and service as the
preeminence in his life goals, and he lived them every day by example.
Leo McCarthy was Speaker when I was first elected to the State
Assembly in 1978. Those were heady days in California, and Speaker
McCarthy had a contentious caucus that he had to work with among
younger members who thought that they oftentimes knew better. But I can
tell you that from the lessons I learned firsthand from Speaker
McCarthy, later to be our Lieutenant Governor, was that of being a
quintessential legislator. He believed in process, he believed in
transparency, he believed in accountability, and he believed in working
in bipartisan fashions to solve problems for people of California. And
because of those facts, Leo McCarthy's speakership was successful.
I was part of a group that ended up in what often happens within
political families, a difficult speakership fight, and I chose for
various reasons not to support Speaker McCarthy. Nonetheless, we
travailed for over a year. During that entire time, Leo maintained
class and maintained dignity and attempted to still reach out and bring
the caucus back together.
That was not to be, but his legacy was the fact that he always,
always treated people the way he wanted to be treated himself. And for
that I would like to join with my colleagues in the memory of a
tremendous public servant, not only in California but throughout our
country, Leo T. McCarthy.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my
distinguished colleague from the State of California (Mr. Dreier).
(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
And I want to thank my very distinguished colleague Anna Eshoo for
authoring this, and I want to congratulate my California colleagues on
both sides of the aisle for once again coming together to recognize
public service.
Mr. Speaker, I never had the opportunity to serve in Sacramento, but
I did know Leo McCarthy to be an extraordinary public servant. And one
of the things that is very moving, as I listened to the remarks of my
colleague from Highland, Mr. Lewis, who was elected with Governor
McCarthy in 1968 to the California State legislature and as I listened
to Anna Eshoo, who I had no idea she was his district office
representative, I was reminded of the fact that public service is a
very important calling. And as I listened to Ms.
[[Page H2206]]
Foxx outline the service record, although I suspect she never met Leo
McCarthy, she went through his extraordinary accomplishments.
As a legislator, I am reminded of the fact that we need to recognize
that we are here to do the people's business. Yes, we need to have that
clash of ideas. Yes, it is important that we engage in vigorous debate.
But at the end of the day, we are here to accomplish very important
things for the people whom we are honored to represent.
It was in 1963, as has been pointed out, that he first ran for the
County Board of Supervisors, and I will say I learned not only that
Anna Eshoo was his district representative, I had heard that he was
from New Zealand originally, but then when I heard he was from
Auckland, I was of course reminded of the old story about the guy who
got on an airplane to go to Oakland, California, and ended up in
Auckland, New Zealand. And it sounded like Leo McCarthy actually took
the reverse route, and I wondered how many times he was headed to
Oakland that people might have thought that he was going home to
Auckland.
But the fact is I had great regard for Leo McCarthy, and I wondered
why anyone would leave New Zealand, because it is a spectacular spot.
In fact, I have said on more than a few occasions if I didn't have the
opportunity to live in the United States of America, New Zealand would
be the spot that I would live in.
But having said that, I will simply say that my colleagues,
Republican and Democrat alike, had great regard for Leo McCarthy and
his extraordinary public service to the people of California.
May God rest his soul, and our thoughts and prayers are with his
wonderful family members. And I know that one of the things Leo
McCarthy said when asked the question what his greatest accomplishments
would be, he said it was his family, and so our thoughts and prayers
are with them.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2\1/2\ minutes for Representative
Howard L. Berman from California.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Ms. Watson for yielding
me this time.
I came to Sacramento as a State assemblyman, elected in 1972, began
my service in 1973, and had never known Leo McCarthy or met him before
that time. Already in the California Assembly, a speakership fight was
brewing between Leo McCarthy and sort of the favored candidate over the
vacancy which would occur when the Speaker at that time was planning to
run for Governor and would be giving up his seat. In the course of the
year and a half between the time I came to Sacramento and the time that
I voted for Speaker, I got to know someone who was particularly unique
in terms of public office and public service.
I would say three words characterize the service of Leo McCarthy in
all aspects of his public career and, I think, of his personal life:
probity, energy, and a tremendous level of integrity.
This was a very unusual public servant. He cared deeply about the
public interest, about policy, about learning what needed to be known
to be effective and advocating for policies, about building legislative
consensus, and about making things happen.
During the 5 years that he was Speaker in the State Assembly, I had
the honor of being for 4\1/2\ of those 5\1/2\ years his majority floor
leader. The end of our legislative careers wasn't quite as good as the
start of it because we ended up in a speakership fight that got rather
out of control and 11 months of battle. I think of speakership fights
in California as war by other means, and that is what we had during
that time. And, unfortunately, after that time while our relationship
was civil and friendly, it was never as close as it was before.
{time} 1600
I have never met anybody who made his fundamental decisions on what
legislation to prioritize, what to push based on a focus on the public
interest without regard to what a particular lobbyist or a particular
specialist might push, with a level of integrity and with a level of
energy, it has already been referenced in terms of his career, that was
really unique in public office. He really was a very fine man, a very
youthful man. In fact, his passing is so tragic because of that youth
and vigor that he always exhibited.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of
H. Res. 180, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. I request that the Speaker take as much time as she
desires, Mr. Speaker.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. To
both of them, thank you for bringing this resolution honoring Leo
McCarthy to the floor. He was a very special person to us, and I thank
you. Congresswoman Eshoo, thank you for your leadership in bringing
this as well.
I am pleased to join my California colleagues, and others, in singing
the praises of one great man, Leo McCarthy.
Mr. Speaker, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, there is a chapter known as
the Eulogy of Heroes; its words could be used to describe Leo McCarthy.
``Now let us praise great men, the heroes of our nation's history,
through whom the Lord has established His renown and revealed His
majesty. Some were sage counselors who led the people by their counsel
and by their knowledge of the law; out of their fund of wisdom, they
gave instruction. They were men of loyalty, whose good deeds have not
been forgotten.''
I know that all who knew Leo McCarthy knows how fitting that
description is of him. Leo McCarthy was indeed such a person. And as
the Eulogy of Heroes proclaims, ``He will be buried in peace, but his
name lives forever, as people recount his wisdom.''
Leo's great wisdom was in knowing that the future of his children,
Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall, was linked to the destiny of all
children. There were many years when, as the most senior Democrat in
California politics, Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy was the main
person standing between drastic cuts to benefits for our children, the
elderly and the disabled.
Leo took seriously the responsibility to carry the banner of the
Democratic Party, as he advanced social and economic justice. As
Speaker of the State Assembly House and Lieutenant Governor, Leo
promoted a values-based agenda to educate our children, grow our
economy and protect our environment. He did so living up to the highest
ethical standards, and he always strove to act in a bipartisan way.
Leo's word was his bond. And when he promised that he would protect
our seniors and stand up for California's magnificent coastline, he
kept his word. In fact, Leo was so scrupulously principled and honest
that there are those of us who thought he must be wearing a Boy Scout
uniform under his business suit. What was under there was a heart of
gold. And really, in all of the testimonials that followed Leo's
passing, I said he had the heart of a lion; they said he was a lion.
Leo opened public service to so many Californians, opening up the
Democratic Party and welcoming in the grassroots. As a former staffer
of his said, Leo liked to take chances on talent. From him they got not
only their start but also their ethics, how to look after their family,
their community and their country at the same time.
He also encouraged the next generation of leadership through his work
at the University of San Francisco as head of the Leo T. McCarthy
Center for Public Service and the Common Good. Leo helped to give me my
start, encouraging me not only to support candidates but to run in my
own right. I consider him both a dear friend and a purposeful mentor.
He made my first run for Congress a family affair, with my children
working alongside his children to elect me to Congress. I said, again,
he had a heart of gold, he also had the heart of a lion which sustained
him through his illness. With all the strength that he could muster and
a clear mind, he gave me sage counsel and wise instruction, as the
eulogy said, through this last campaign, always reminding me that it
was necessary to win in order to keep faith with the American people.
And I know he took special joy in our victories in November, indeed,
they were his victories as well.
Leo was optimistic to the end. And as recently as Saturday night,
which was the Saturday night before he passed, I spoke to him and he
said, My morale is high. I am home with Jackie, that is his wife, and
my children and my
[[Page H2207]]
grandchildren are with me. More than anything, Leo loved his family,
his wife Jackie, his children and grandchildren.
My husband Paul and I and my entire family extend our deep sympathy
to Jackie, Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall. Again, I hope it is a comfort
to them that so many people mourn their loss, sing Leo's praises and
are praying for them at this sad time.
Mr. Speaker, Leo McCarthy will be buried in peace, but his name lives
forever as people recount his wisdom.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from
California, Sam Farr.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am one of the Members that served with Leo
McCarthy. I was a member of the California legislature. And like
Speaker Pelosi, he was the one who convinced me, when I was a young
staff member working for the California legislature in 1975, that I
ought to return to my district and start running in public life for
politics. And that is what got me into being a county supervisor, and
the rest is history.
But serving with Leo McCarthy indeed is distinction for all the
reasons talked about. But I loved his youthful energy. The shock of Leo
McCarthy dying is that he never looked old, never seemed old. He always
had the energy of youth; looked young; and just was a remarkable
person. He twice ran for the United States Senate. And doing that in
California is indeed a tough problem because the State is so big, so
expansive, and it requires so much time, and Leo would never abandon
his family.
I remember, Leo was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and I remember
going on a trip to Auckland, New Zealand with him. He was welcomed home
as a town hero. He pointed out that because he was born in that town,
he could never run for President of the United States, not being a
native born. I also traveled with him to Canada, when we went on
several of the communications issues. And I remember him so devoted to
Jackie that he took all his life savings to make sure that Jackie could
have a wonderful coat that she wanted, and I know that she still has
that.
Ladies and gentlemen, Leo McCarthy was the kind of person you want in
public life. And indeed, California is better off for having him serve.
It is a great State, and he made it greater. He produced a lot of us
that are serving in Congress. And certainly, almost like a daughter,
Anna Eshoo, the author of this resolution, and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of
the House, he has a lot to be proud of. We are very proud that we were
able to work for him, serve for him and be in public life with him.
All our condolences go to Jackie and the family.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to extend the
time of debate 2 minutes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from
California, Brad Sherman.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Eshoo for
offering this important legislation that I am proud to have
cosponsored, honoring the life and achievements of Leo McCarthy and
expressing the sorrow of the House of Representatives on his death.
The resolution properly recounts and reflects Leo's many
accomplishments, a lifetime dedicated to effective service on behalf of
the people of California and of the United States. Yet Leo McCarthy's
life was much more than the titles he earned and the awards he
accumulated. He was a loving husband to Jacqueline, his wife of 51
years, and a father of four children and 11 grandchildren. When Leo
McCarthy died on February 5, he also left a world of friends.
It is fitting that my colleagues have obtained the opportunity to
speak of Leo's many outstanding personal accomplishments and his
qualities, his loyalty, his friendliness, his wise counsel. Those of us
who knew Leo knew these qualities well.
As Speaker of the California Assembly for 6 years, and then during
his unprecedented three terms as Lieutenant Governor, Leo was
responsible for path-breaking legislation such as the California
Coastal Act and the Nursing Home Patients Protection Act. He led the
way toward implementation of important initiatives to educate business
on the value of employer-provided health care and programs to help
welfare recipients move into the workplace.
Leo was a charitable man who encouraged public service through his
contributions and his service at the University of San Francisco and as
head of the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common
Good.
I join in expressing the profound sorrow of this House and in
offering my personal condolences to the McCarthy family on Leo's death.
Our prayers are with all of you who mourn Leo McCarthy.
Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor
the life of Leo McCarthy, former Lieutenant Governor of California, who
passed away last month after a long illness due to a kidney ailment.
Born in New Zealand, Leo began his lifetime of public service for his
adopted country as a member the United States Air Force Strategic Air
Command in the Korean War.
His political service began in 1963 when he was elected to the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors, and later to the California Assembly,
where he had the honor and distinction of serving as speaker from 1974
to 1980.
In 1982 he was elected Lieutenant Governor--a position he held until
1994.
Leo's dedication to his community was clear from the diversity of
issues on which he worked: from assisting welfare recipients, to
increasing breast cancer awareness, to finding ways to stop toxic
contamination.
He also worked to promote tolerance by establishing the Lieutenant
Governor's Commission on the Prevention of Hate Violence.
After leaving the political field, Leo continued to serve the
community by founding the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and
the Common Good at the University of San Francisco.
This Center, where young men and women can learn and be inspired to
pursue a life and career of ethical public service, is a fitting legacy
for a man whose life was devoted to serving the community.
Leo McCarthy is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their four children
and eleven grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H.
Res. 180. This bipartisan resolution honors the life and achievements
of Leo T. McCarthy, and expresses profound sorrow on his recent death.
I want to thank my friend and colleague from California,
Representative Eshoo, for sponsoring this resolution.
Leo McCarthy was many things in his life. He was an airman, a
politician, and a life-long public servant. But above all things, he
was a decent and compassionate man.
Leo was first elected to the California Assembly in 1968.
He served with honor and distinction as its Speaker from 1974 and
1980 and went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor of California for
three terms.
Leo's accomplishments in office express the compassion and love he
possessed for his fellow man.
His leadership helped change the way California looked at issues like
child care, breast cancer research, elder care, and treatment for the
mentally ill.
Beyond his professional work, he was a loving family man, and
dedicated friend and mentor to countless of my California peers.
I urge my colleagues to honor the life of this good man. May he rest
in peace.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 180.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________