[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 130 (Wednesday, September 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H10112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H10112]]
    MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE LATE HONORABLE JENNIFER DUNN

  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness 
that I inform the House of Representatives of the untimely death of our 
dear friend and former colleague, Jennifer Dunn, this morning.
  Words cannot express the shock and sorrow that I feel today.
  I know that all of you join me in keeping her family, sons Reagan, 
Bryant and stepson Angus Thomson, and her loving husband, Keith 
Thomson, in our thoughts and prayers.
  All of us who have served with Jennifer Dunn in the House have known 
the kindness, the wit and political savvy that she embodied. She was 
vibrant, enjoyed life, and she always had a kind word for everyone.
  She was known, Madam Speaker, as a fierce advocate when it came to 
supporting Republican women for election, both locally in our State of 
Washington and nationally.
  On a personal note, for 32 years she was my friend, fellow Ronald 
Reagan activist, my State party chairman and colleague in the House 
where she served the Eighth District of Washington from 1993 to 2005.
  Always positive, dignified and poised in everything that she did. A 
loving wife and mother, as well as a political leader with great skill.
  Today, Washington State and our Nation has lost a giant, a true 
leader and a stateswoman in every sense of the word. Madam Speaker, she 
will be dearly missed.
  I yield to my friend, the senior Democrat from Washington (Mr. 
Dicks).
  Mr. DICKS. I appreciate Congressman Hastings yielding to me, and I 
just want to echo his words. Our regrets go out to Jennifer Dunn's 
family, to her husband, Keith, and to her sons, Reagan, named after 
Ronald Reagan, by the way, and Bryant and Angus.
  Jennifer Dunn was a great leader in our State. She was the first 
woman Republican chairman of the State Republican Party. She was 
elected to the Congress, was on the Ways and Means Committee. She 
always was willing to reach out across the aisle and work on projects. 
Congressman Larsen reminded me of her efforts on the Wild Sky program 
which was enacted this year, something she worked on for many years. 
She was a leader on trade issues and tax reform issues. She will be 
missed.
  I appreciated the fact she was always willing to cross the aisle and 
work with Democrats or whoever to get legislation enacted. She was a 
great advocate for tax issues. She will be missed by all of us. We pass 
on our condolences to her family.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I know a number of Members 
want to express their views, and we will afford them that opportunity.
  Madam Speaker, I ask the House to join the delegation from Washington 
State in observing a moment of silence in honor of our former 
colleague.

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