[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 130 (Wednesday, September 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10119-H10127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DEATH
OF THE HONORABLE PAUL E. GILLMOR, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res.
632) and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 632
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of
the death of the Honorable Paul E. Gillmor, a Representative
from the State of Ohio.
Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as
the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the
Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be
authorized and directed to take such steps as may be
necessary for carrying out the provisions of these
resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection
therewith be paid out of applicable accounts of the House.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to
the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the
deceased.
Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as
a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.
[[Page H10120]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized for 1
hour.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my colleague, who is the senior member of the
Democrat delegation, pending which I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and colleague
Paul Gillmor of Tiffin, Ohio. Paul Gillmor was a leader in Ohio. He was
elected five times by his colleagues in the Ohio Senate as a leader and
was President of the Ohio Senate three times.
He was a leader here in this House on financial issues, focusing
effectively on legislation to protect the general public. Additionally,
Paul's leadership extended beyond Ohio and Congress to his position as
Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
His awards from grateful constituents and community groups he
represented were powerful evidence of Paul's diligent efforts on behalf
of those who depended on his caring representation on their behalf.
Five Ohio colleges and universities honored his outstanding leadership
with honorary degrees.
In addition, he served his country as a captain in the Air Force with
active duty during the Vietnam conflict from 1965 to 1966. Ohio
Wesleyan University and the University of Michigan Law School are proud
to claim him as an alumnus.
{time} 1530
Our sympathy goes out to Paul's wife, Karen, and his five children.
To those of us who cherished him not only as a colleague, but as a
friend, we will long remember Paul and will always be grateful that he
was part of our life.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would very much like to thank the dean of the Republican delegation
from Ohio, Congressman Ralph Regula, a dear friend, for helping to
organize this very special moment tonight in honor of our friend and
colleague from Ohio, Representative Paul Gillmor, who last evening
succumbed to a call that will greet us all. We never know the time nor
the hour.
I understand that Paul flew back to Washington yesterday with several
of his colleagues. And sometimes we wonder why things happen the way
they do, but he was able to speak with several of them upon his return
to Washington after having spent most of August with his family in
Ohio. That itself is a gift.
It is with shock and sadness that we on this side of the aisle extend
heartfelt sympathy to the Gillmor family. To his wife, Karen, I can't
tell you how many White House Christmas parties I recall sharing with
her, our travels to Mexico long before the passage of NAFTA as we
evaluated the situation on the ground. Those are memories that I will
hold forever.
To the five Gillmor children, Paul was a very, very dedicated father.
I recall one time I was going into Channel 11, our CBS affiliate, I'll
probably get in trouble for saying this, the other affiliates won't be
mentioned, even though it didn't happen in their stations, and Paul had
one of his sons with him that day, and he was so polite. And we were
talking about where he was going to school. Paul tried to be with his
family, especially with his younger children, as much as he could.
He suffered great tragedy in his own life, serving in Vietnam as a
Captain in the Air Force in that very troubled conflict. I'm sure that
he carried memories and wounds from that. And then having lost his
first wife in a tragic automobile accident, having to survive that and
continue to serve.
He dedicated his life to public service. Many people I don't think
realize what a wealthy man he was. He didn't have to be here in the
Congress. He could have checked out long ago. But in the tradition of
service that his family represented and very deep, deep roots in
Buckeye land in Ohio, he served his country not just in the Air Force,
but in the Ohio Senate where he was the majority leader, and finally,
the people of the Fifth Congressional District in this House since
1989, a decade and a half.
There are many pieces of legislation for which he exhibited
leadership. One of those dealt with brownfields, a problem well known
in a State like Ohio, and trying to move legislation in order to
convert those over for reuse. As a member of the Energy and Commerce
Committee and Subcommittee Chair during a portion of his career, he
made a real national contribution there.
Together, we worked on saving the 180th Tactical Fighter Squadron of
the Army Air National Guard in our districts. When gerrymandering
occurred a few years ago and the districts were redrawn, literally, he
ended up with one half of the airport and I ended up with the other
half. And I thought, oh, this is interesting. So we were very
successful in our efforts there. And without question, that particular
unit, which will be returning to Ohio this week, is returning to a
facility that he helped to save. One of my memories is that before
their departure about four months ago, Paul and I were there together
wishing every single one of the members of that unit Godspeed and a
quick return to our country.
There were many times that we spent together in our region of the
State. Just last week, Paul and I appeared in Findlay, Ohio as a result
of the tragic 1,000-year flooding that occurred up in our area.
Congressman Jim Jordan was there as well from Urbana, Ohio. And then
Paul and I met with Secretary Chertoff. We were planning meetings here
upon our return here this week. And we talked about the need for FEMA
to be more responsive to the needs of this region. And we then took an
Apache helicopter with General Wayt from the Ohio National Guard and we
flew over to Bucyrus, just the two of us together in that helicopter.
And we were pointing out different reservoirs and different dams and
different things that had to be done in order to prevent this type of
tragedy again. And we met with the mayor of Bucyrus and with the county
commissioners there and the emergency management officials. We had
quite a visit. And then Paul and I got back on the Apache helicopter
and we flew back to Findlay, Ohio where his sister was waiting for him
at the airport. And they were on to the next stop. I think he was
headed over to Ottawa, Ohio in his district, which had also been very,
very badly flooded.
I see Congressman Jordan over there. I never knew that when we were
in Findlay, Ohio together, we kind of grabbed hands and tried to deal
with the flooding in your district as well, that that would be the last
time that we would do that together.
So we had many memories that we share of Paul's service. And I offer
the consolation and the condolences of the people from the Ninth
Congressional District, which literally wraps its arms around the
northern part of Paul's district, to his family, to his friends, to his
colleagues, and to say we are there in dutiful service to do what is
necessary to transition in these very difficult days and months ahead.
I want to say personally to Karen, his wife, that I value our
friendship. And many of us who have reached the age we are know what a
loss this is, and we are praying for you, we are praying for your
children, we are praying for your family.
I wanted to extend the opportunity for our dear colleague from
Tennessee, Congressman John Tanner, who is down here on the floor, who
wanted to offer words on behalf of Paul Gillmor whatever time he wishes
to consume. I yield him such time.
Mr. TANNER. Thank you very much, Ms. Kaptur.
I just felt compelled to come down here. And Mr. Regula, I thank you
for taking this time.
I guess I've traveled more with Paul Gillmor than any other Member.
We have traveled together on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly business
for at least the last 9 or 10 years, and that's two or three trips a
year to the parliamentary meetings of NATO. And during that time, not
only have my wife, Betty Ann, and his wife, Karen, become close
friends, but I don't have or didn't have a closer friend in Congress
than Paul Gillmor.
He was not only an extraordinarily talented individual who made
people comfortable around him, but he also had a leadership quality
that I observed up close and personal many, many times in these NATO
meetings.
It hasn't been all that easy the last few years. There has been
unrest in the
[[Page H10121]]
alliance. And Paul was chairman of the Economics and Security Committee
during part of that time, and I was a member and succeeded him as
chairman. And it was an easy transition from the standpoint that Paul
had gained so much respect from our European allies and colleagues that
it was easy for us to run that committee in a way that I think was
constructive.
He was extraordinarily dedicated to his family. He talked about them
all the time. And beyond that, he was a man that had a well-grounded
sense of himself. He was one who not only cared deeply for his family,
his State and his country, but was willing to go out of his way and
inconvenience himself time and time again to go the extra mile to try
to make things better. I feel very privileged to just have known him
and to be a friend of his, and more importantly, him being a friend of
mine.
I'm going to miss him a lot. I know this House will miss him a lot.
The country will miss him a lot. He is currently serving as North
American Vice President of NATO PA, and I'm sure that that organization
will miss him as well.
Thank you for allowing me this time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. LaTourette).
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean of our
delegation for authoring this resolution. I also want to thank our
Democratic friends from Ohio and Members from other States who I see
gathering on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, there is no way to describe today's news about our
friend, Paul Gillmor, other than shock, a devastating loss to his
family, to his friends, his colleagues, Ohio and our Nation.
Unlike a number of the other members of the Ohio delegation, I didn't
come to Congress through the Ohio legislature, and so I didn't serve
with Paul in the Ohio legislature, although I knew of him from
Republican gatherings around the State of Ohio, he also was my mom's
Congressman. She always told me the story about how excited the people
were who were up in Lakeside, Marblehead and the Islands that
Congressman Gillmor was going to come up and share his thoughts. But I
didn't have the chance to work with him until I arrived here about 13
years ago. What I found was what I had heard, and that was that
Congressman Gillmor was a hardworking, smart legislator who loved his
family, loved his friends, loved this institution and the people he
served. He was willing to take the time to show a young freshman around
back in 1995. He was willing to share his vast knowledge of financial
services with those that didn't quite have the same expertise. If you
were having a sadness or a joy in your life, he was willing to share in
that. And he was a wonderful fellow to sit and have dinner with. And
after dinner, he was a wonderful fellow to sit around with and tell war
stories. And over the course of the years, many of those stories were
exaggerated with the passage of time and also the failing of memory,
but it was always a good time.
I was reminded by my staff, because I want to talk about Paul's
family, but I also want to talk about Paul's other family. And my staff
reminded me, when they learned of Paul's passing today, that we were
neighbors in the Longworth Building, and my staff told me how lucky we
were to have a neighbor whose staff was always willing to walk us
through another clueless day in the 104th Congress. And how you could
always walk into the lobby, and how he taught us about constituent
services because you would always find a bowl of Dum Dum suckers
because the Spangler Candy Company was located in Bryan, Ohio, which
was in the Congressman's district.
Our Ohio delegation is poor today with the loss of our friend,
neighbor and mentor, Paul Gillmor. Our thoughts and prayers are with
Paul's wife, Karen, his five wonderful children, and also, Mr. Speaker,
with his Capitol Hill family, many of whom have been with him for many,
many years and who miss him very badly today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from
Ohio, Ms. Sutton, will control the remainder of the gentlewoman from
Ohio, Ms. Kaptur's time.
There was no objection.
Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened today to hear of the
passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor.
As a freshman Member of this body, I haven't known Mr. Gillmor as
long as some of my colleagues who have already spoken and who will, I'm
sure, rise to speak in moments following my remarks.
I did have occasion enough to spend time with Mr. Gillmor to know
what a friendly and unpretentious and likeable man he was. And my
thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Karen, and his family and his
friends. I did have the opportunity to serve with Karen in the State
legislature in Ohio. And Karen, as I said, you're in our thoughts and
prayers.
The State of Ohio and the United States Congress have lost a great
friend. Paul Gillmor devoted his life to serving his community, his
State and his Nation. From his service in the United States Air Force
to his tireless efforts on behalf of the people of Ohio in Congress,
Paul Gillmor always fought hard to make a difference in people's lives.
We will all miss him greatly. And I am grateful for the opportunity to
have known him even for the short time that I did.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Barton), chairman of the committee on which Paul served.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Well, the former chairman, the ranking member
now.
When I think of Paul Gillmor, I think of two words, ``team player.''
Earlier this year, when the Republicans lost the majority, we had to
downsize the number of Republicans on the Energy and Commerce
Committee, and I made a decision, as the ranking member, to try not to
have to kick anybody off the committee and not bump off our junior
members. So I went to the senior members of the committee and asked if
there were any volunteers who might want to take a leave of absence to
allow the junior members not to have to be bumped off, and of course
Paul Gillmor was one of the ones who volunteered to take a leave of
absence so he could serve on the Financial Services Committee and keep
his seniority on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
{time} 1545
Because of that, several of our junior members were able to stay on
the committee.
Well, about a month ago, we had a contentious mark-up coming up. Sure
enough, one of the junior members had a personal family situation that
they couldn't get out of. They were going to have to take a leave of
absence. We needed every vote. So I went to Paul, and I said, ``Would
you be willing to come back on the committee for 1 or 2 days?'' He kind
of grumped a little bit about it, but he said, ``If you need me, I'll
be there.'' Not only did he come back on the committee, but he offered
amendments and was there all of the time and didn't complain, whine,
moan or groan about how tough it was. He was a team player. He did a
good job.
When we were in the majority, Paul was the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, which is not one
of the more glamorous subcommittees of this Congress. It deals with
such things as the Superfund and the Clean Water Act and all these
international treaties. It's a tough job. Paul did it not only with
good grace, but he did it in an excellent fashion.
Paul Gillmor is going to be missed as a friend. He is going to be
missed as a Congressman. He is going to be missed as a statesman for
this country. My sympathy goes out to his wife, Karen, and his family.
We will definitely miss the services of the Honorable Paul Gillmor in
the House of Representatives.
God bless him, and God bless his family.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Wilson) will control the remainder of the time of the gentlewoman
from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).
There was no objection.
Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues here today
saddened by the death of Paul Gillmor. Paul and I took much the same
track to come here to Congress in that Paul served diligently for the
State of Ohio in the Ohio senate. As a
[[Page H10122]]
matter of fact, he and his wife, Karen, both left quite a legacy there
and then moved on to Congress. I knew Paul, but through other people,
so to speak, until I came to Congress. I can still remember how
welcoming he was to me as another Ohio delegate and welcoming me to be
here in Congress. I was very comfortable when he, Deborah Pryce and I
were the Congress people hosting a banking financial seminar in
Columbus not too many months ago, 4, 5 or 6 months ago. It was good to
sit with Paul. We sort of chatted in between the time.
One of the things that comes to mind about Paul is that he was my
sister, Becky's, Congressman. She lives in Henry County in part of his
district. She is a yellow dog Democrat, but she loved Paul Gillmor.
Just as recently as last night, before we knew any of this had
happened, we talked about him at dinner. She said, ``Paul Gillmor
always listens to us.'' So she felt very proud of her relationship with
her Congressman.
I think many people have felt that way about Paul. When this type of
thing happens, it shows you the compassion and the feeling among us, as
one body, as one set of people representing America. I think that is
what makes our country different from others. Paul Gillmor was
certainly a perfect example of that. So my heart and my sympathy go out
to his wife, Karen, and his five children. Hopefully, they will be able
to continue the legacy he has set for the Gillmor family.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Pryce).
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, we all rise in shock and great sadness to mourn the
death of our friend and colleague, Paul Gillmor. There is really so
much to honor about his life. He was actually a legislator's
legislator. Before he came to Capitol Hill, he spent 22 years in the
Ohio statehouse where he became the senate president for three terms.
He was there during those formative years of his professional life so
long, and to the extent of which he became a real pro at it, that he
had an innate sense of the legislative process. He got to know the
people, because half of this work is getting to know the people.
He seemed to come by it naturally. We would sit at whip meetings when
he came to Congress. He would ask all the right questions and get to
the bottom line in half the time as anyone else. Paul Gillmor really
knew what he was doing, and he always made it look so effortless.
He cared about other people. He cared about his staff. He cared about
his colleagues. He cared about his friends. I didn't know a single soul
that didn't like Paul Gillmor. And that is saying a lot in this
business. Paul was a people person. He was a person that others
gravitated to because he cared about them.
But he cared about no one more in life than his family. As a Member
who on occasion myself has missed a vote on the naming of a post office
or two, I really respect the priorities that Paul Gillmor had about
putting his family first. That's the right thing to do and that's the
way Paul did it.
He has a lot for which Karen, his dear wife, and his family can be
proud to look back upon as they examine the legacy that he left to
Ohio, to them, and to our country.
Once again, we have much to honor in Paul Gillmor's life. Our prayers
are with his family.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Ohio
(Mrs. Jones) will control the remainder of the time of the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Wilson).
There was no objection.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would yield time to
Mr. Obey, the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, such time as he
may consume.
Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentlewoman for the time.
I simply cannot believe that Paul is gone. I first got to know him
when we both served on a task force to rewrite the code of ethics in
the nineties. That was not an easy job. Paul's performance was solid.
It was thoughtful. In all the time that we discussed those issues
before we brought our recommendations to the floor, I never saw him for
one moment raise a partisan angle on any ethics question, and I never
saw him question anyone else's motives.
What I did see was a man who understood that ethics is important, and
yet because it involves the rules of the House, it can also be
exceedingly complicated.
I never saw Paul take a single cheap shot in all the time that he
served on that committee. That is one of the reasons that he became one
of my favorite Republicans in this place, because there are very few
people on either side of the aisle who aren't willing to take a cheap
shot at the other side, even if it results in damage to the
institution. That's where Paul drew the line.
He didn't mind seeking partisan advantage. That's what all of us try
to do from time to time. But what he always tried to do, in my
judgment, was to seek whatever advantage he saw without taking
advantage of the institution at the same time. That's an important line
to draw in an institution like this.
I think we can all be grateful for the job that Paul did for as long
as God allowed him to do it. I simply cannot believe he is gone.
I extend my sincere regrets and best wishes to his family and all the
members of the Ohio delegation.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Tiberi).
Mr. TIBERI. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, my heart goes out to
Paul's wife, Karen, and his five children.
As Mr. Obey said, I can't believe it, either. I first met Paul
Gillmor when he was president of the Ohio senate and served in the
senate. He had a very distinguished career before having ever come to
the United States Congress, a career that many would admire, just there
in our statehouse in Ohio.
His reputation was as a man of great humility. Something that we all
could learn a lesson from is Paul Gillmor's humility, the gentleness of
Paul Gillmor, the way he treated people, the way he loved to serve the
public of Ohio and northwest Ohio and the constituents he was so proud
to serve.
Paul was an Air Force veteran. Many didn't know that. He was a proud
graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in my district, and, for an
Ohioan, a proud graduate of the University of Michigan's law school.
Paul was known around the statehouse as a very gentle person, as a
man who rose to the top of the political game, but never forgot where
he came from, a successful politician, a successful public servant, a
successful businessman.
Yesterday I had the opportunity with a couple of other Members,
Congressman Jordan and Congressman Hobson, to sit in the airport in
Columbus in the afternoon to chat with Paul as we were coming back to
Washington, DC.
I had the added opportunity to spend some time with him on the
airplane sitting next to him. I will remember Paul in the way that I
have always known Paul, a very happy warrior, a man who loved what he
did on a daily basis. He enjoyed August, reaching out to community
after community in northwest Ohio at town hall meeting after town hall
meeting, up at the lake with friends and family. He enjoyed August. He
had a smile on his face. He enjoyed public service. He enjoyed
representing the people of northwest Ohio.
That's how I will remember Paul Gillmor. We lost a good friend. Ohio
lost a native son. And America lost a patriot.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, my first comments are to Karen Gillmor. Karen, I stand
in your stead. Only 4 years ago, I lost my husband suddenly. All I can
say to you is hold on to God's unchanging hand. He will help you
through all of this. And as you think about all the wonderful memories
and the wonderful opportunities and the blessing that you had to have
Paul Gillmor in your life. To your sons and daughters, I say the same
thing. I always talk to my son, and I say, ``Merv, just remember all
the good times. Remember all the fun you had, all the things you
learned, and cherish each and every one of them.''
As a Member of Congress, I rise to speak to honor the life of my
colleague and friend, Paul Gillmor. Paul and I served on the Committee
on Financial Services together. When I first came to Congress, Paul
reminded me of the big
[[Page H10123]]
bear, kind of a gentle bear. You don't even know he is really in the
room until he kind of humbles into the room. I remember him saying on
occasion, Stephanie, Congresswoman Jones, so forth and so on.
I was pleased to have had the opportunity to cosponsor some
legislation with him with regard to historic preservation. He and I
both understood the importance of preserving historic buildings in this
Nation and offered legislation that would have provided tax incentives
for people to be able to shore up that legislation.
Unlike Paul, I was not in the legislature when I first came to
Congress. The advantage of having a colleague and a friend who has had
some experience in the legislature works greatly. I can remember one
time at a Financial Services hearing, as usual, I was going at a
witness. Later Paul said, ``Now, Stephanie, just calm down a little
bit. It ain't like you're in a courtroom anymore.''
We're all going to miss Paul Gillmor. The beauty of the United States
Congress is that it is a bipartisan body where you have Democrats and
Republicans who are there and who are able to argue or debate their
particular issue. But the beauty also of a bipartisan body is that you
have Democrats and Republicans who can get along, who understand the
importance of raising the issues on behalf of their constituents, but
also understand the importance of working together.
{time} 1600
I know everyone has already placed into the Record all of Paul's
background, experience and things that he did to represent the great
State of Ohio. Again, I stand here as a colleague and a friend to talk
about my experiences with Paul Gillmor, to record them in my memory,
and to smile, because at these times it is often hard to smile and lift
up a time of laughter. But I call upon all of our friends and
colleagues and his family to look to the good times, to look to all the
great memories, and, over time, time will heal some of the wounds.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the leader, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the dean of our delegation for
bringing this resolution to the floor, and thank my colleague from
Cleveland, Mrs. Jones, for her enlightening remarks and lightening this
up.
I was here earlier to announce Paul's passing to the House. I can
remember the first time I met Paul Gillmor. I was a brand new State
legislator. It was 1985, and it wasn't at the statehouse; it was down
the street at the Pewter Mug.
Now, for those of us who served in the statehouse, we have all been
to the Pewter Mug. That is where I got to know Paul Gillmor. He was the
senate president; I was a lowly new house member, and Helen used to
come over and wait on us. For those who came to the statehouse who went
to the Pewter Mug, you would remember Helen, because you could never
forget her, and she would never forget Paul.
But I got to know Paul Gillmor. In 1986, Paul decided to run for
Governor in a Republican primary, and I was on his team. As a matter of
fact, it might have been one of the first political checks I actually
wrote was to Paul Gillmor when he ran for Governor. Unfortunately, he
didn't win that primary election, but I really got to know Paul
Gillmor.
He really was a public servant who enjoyed what he did, who enjoyed
representing people, and someone that came to Congress right before I
did. He came in 1988; I came in 1990. We have been close friends over
the 17 years that we have worked here together. We worked on a number
of issues.
Paul loved to understand what was happening around the world, and he
certainly did his share of traveling to try to understand what was
happening. But his work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, his work
over in the Financial Services Committee will speak for itself.
But earlier this year, I think it was mentioned by the gentleman from
Texas, Mr. Barton, earlier this year we lost our majority, we lost a
number of seats, and Paul Gillmor took the magnanimous step of
relinquishing his seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee to take a
seat on the Financial Services Committee to help make room for other
Members. It was that kind of kindness and consideration that I think
all of us will remember about Paul Gillmor.
Karen and the children, our prayers are with you. Paul was a great
servant, a great friend, and someone who we will all miss.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Ohio, Tim Ryan.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, and I also
thank our friend, the dean of the delegation, Mr. Regula.
I would just add for a minute my thoughts and memories of Mr.
Gillmor. I graduated from Bowling Green State University, so I knew of
Mr. Gillmor before I even got into politics, because as many of the
Members from Ohio know, he is a legend in northwest Ohio, especially in
Bowling Green and especially with the Bowling Green Young Republicans.
He was very familiar.
I remember, as we all do, taking the little trolley back and forth
from the office buildings over here, and for some reason our
conversations always ended up talking about Ohio State football. Mr.
Gillmor loved the Buckeyes. He loved going to the Ohio State football
games. I remember being in the State senate seeing him at the Ohio
State football games. That is just the kind of guy he was. He loved
football, he loved his country, he loved his constituents, he loved
this institution, and he certainly will be missed.
So from the citizens of the 17th District, we just want to thank Mr.
Gillmor for his service and send our condolences and our prayers to his
family and his children and his wife, Karen. And also to say, as Mr.
Boehner, the minority leader said, he was a gentleman. He was a gentle
man. In the midst of all the chaos of Washington, DC, his silence and
his gentleness were very refreshing, and he will be missed.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio.
We have heard words about Paul Gillmor, our friend, and one word we
keep hearing over and over is ``caring.'' He really cared. He cared
about his family. You would go in his office and you would see the
pictures of his family.
He cared about his staff. Mark Wellman, his chief of staff; Dave
Oxner, great guys. They were sort of a reflection and extension of
Paul. They were gentlemen. They really did not care about who got the
credit. They were hard workers. I say to Mark and Dave, I know that you
are grieving right now.
Mr. Obey mentioned that he cared about this institution. He truly
did. He cared about every Member. I never heard him insult another
Member. I never heard him say something unkind.
He talked about issues. He felt strongly about issues. The
brownfields legislation was a great example of how he was very
tenacious, had very strong feelings. He did that earlier this year on
the industrial loan companies when, as a small town banker, mainstream
banker, he felt very strongly that small town banks were being
disadvantaged. But he never said anything unkind about those who
opposed his position.
To his credit, I think part of that kindness, that caring, and also
his capable leadership, that legislation passed the House 371-16. I
think brownfields will be part of his legacy, particularly to the
industrial States, the people of Ohio that he loved; as will the
industrial loan company legislation, that really will help preserve
small town mainstream banking.
He was a banker. I had the privilege of appointing Paul as the
ranking member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. I never
regretted that decision. I knew that what Paul cared about was not
himself or not the glory, but doing what was right for the American
people. He never disappointed me. I will miss him deeply.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Burgess).
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank
[[Page H10124]]
him for convening this resolution this evening and I thank the Ohio
delegation for allowing me to be part of this remembrance of the life
of our friend Paul Gillmor. Like everyone else, I was shocked and
saddened this morning to hear the news about the loss of our friend.
We have heard several people talk about Mr. Gillmor and his work on
the committee. I remember last year in the 109th Congress when he was
the subcommittee chairman and the work he did on persistent organic
pollutants. It really was not something I had ever thought about before
I came to Congress, it really wasn't something I ever campaigned on,
but Paul had a way of explaining it and making it understandable and
worked through a very complex issue working with both sides of the
committee dais to get meaningful legislation passed.
Then at the end of the 109th Congress, after the election, coming
back for the 110th Congress, and someone explained to me the arithmetic
that happens when you lose the majority, and counting on my fingers the
number of seats we had lost on the Energy and Commerce Committee and I
was no longer going to be on that committee, and then later Paul came
to me and said, ``Doc, you are too important on that committee, so I am
going to stay on Financial Services and I will take a leave from Energy
and Commerce.''
You heard Ranking Member Barton mention it. You heard Leader Boehner
mention it. I was the guy that he let stay on the committee by his
selfless act of taking a leave of absence from a committee that he
loved, committee work he loved to do. I thank him so much for giving me
the opportunity to stay on the committee.
Of course, we welcomed him back a few weeks ago when we needed that
extra vote when we were discussing energy legislation. And, sure
enough, Paul was there not just to be a vote, but he brought amendments
with him. He tied things up. He behaved just like the Paul Gillmor that
I had remembered on the committee from the year before.
So, to his family, I wanted you to know, you had heard me mention
before how selfless Paul was about giving up a place on the committee.
I am the guy that he let stay on the committee. I will never forget
that, and I will always try to live up to his expectations.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our colleague from Ohio
(Mr. Jordan).
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the dean of our delegation.
Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues from Ohio in expressing great shock
and sadness at the passing of our friend and neighbor Congressman Paul
Gillmor.
As previous speakers have mentioned, Congressman Gillmor was in our
district last week with the flooding. I had the opportunity to just
visit with him yesterday, as Congressman Tiberi mentioned as well, at
the airport before we flew down here. You just can't believe this has
happened.
Paul was a husband and a father. He was a proud Republican, an Air
Force veteran, as others mentioned, with Vietnam era service, and a
long time congressional leader on international leaders.
Prior to his distinguished service in Congress, he made his mark in
the Ohio legislature with an impressive 22-year career in the Ohio
Senate, and as Congresswoman Pryce mentioned, three terms as senate
president.
I had the unique opportunity to work with Paul on issues that
affected our part of Ohio. I counted on him as a staunch ally in
promoting the workers and the mission at Lima's Joint Systems
Manufacturing Center, our tank plant in Lima, Ohio.
We also shared in challenging times, including the tragic Bluffton
University bus crash earlier this year, and more recently, as I
mentioned, the flooding that took place and devastated many areas of
both of our districts.
I served with Paul's wife, Karen, in the general assembly, although
she was on the senate side and I was on the house side, and got to know
their family a little bit over the years. Our family's prayers are with
her and the entire Gillmor family as they attempt to find peace in the
midst of this tragedy.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).
Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
remembering one of our own, Paul Gillmor. It is moments like this that
you realize the fleeting nature of time. Indeed, we truly realize the
shortness of time and the greatness of eternity. Our thoughts and
prayers go out to his family, his friends and all of the people that he
touched during the time he was on this Earth.
Representative Gillmor was a friend. He was a gentleman who I had the
pleasure of getting to know as a neighbor. Because we lived across the
street from each other at one time, there were several occasions that
we shared a ride home after a long night of votes. During those times,
I was able to gain a small measure of the man and discovered him to be
generous, kind, and, above all, considerate.
The people of Ohio were privileged to have known him as a public
servant. The Members of Congress were honored to share him as a
colleague. His friends were rewarded with his company, and his family
was embraced by his love.
We will miss Paul and remember our time with him and honor his
memory. May God give Karen and his children an extra measure of grace
during this most difficult time.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Ohio, Mrs. Schmidt.
Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened today by the news of
the loss of my dear friend Paul Gillmor. PG, as many of us called him,
was a shining example of service and leadership. As president of the
Ohio senate, he led Ohio through good times and bad times with such
grace.
For the last two decades, he fought for all Ohioans here in Congress,
not just those in his own district. During his entire life, Paul
Gillmor was a true leader, a gentleman and a statesman. Most
importantly, he was a nice guy, a true friend to all.
When I was first elected, he became a mentor to me. I would always
welcome his kind words on the House floor, ``How is it going, kid?''
Just as important, he was a great father and a loving husband.
{time} 1615
My prayers go out to his wonderful wife Karen and all of his
children. Ohio has suffered a great loss. America has suffered a great
loss. We here in this House have lost a dear friend. May God be with
you, Paul. Godspeed.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Turner).
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean of our delegation,
Ralph Regula, for bringing this resolution forward to honor the life of
Paul Gillmor. We are all deeply saddened by the passing of our dear
friend, Paul Gillmor.
I want to tell you one story from when I first got to Congress. Mr.
Gillmor, as I referred to him, as many have said, had a gentle spirit
and an informal way and a very accepting way. When I referred to him as
``Mr. Gillmor,'' he corrected me and said, You're to call me Paul. You
will hear, as almost everyone comes forward today and eulogizes him, as
they honor him, they refer to him as he had us refer to him, and that
is Paul.
One time we were having dinner and he was talking about some of his
accomplishments. Brownfields is an area that is very important to me.
When you look across Ohio and see the number of abandoned factory sites
and the potential that they represent, Paul told about his work on the
Brownfields Remediation Act that changed the laws that made it easier
for those sites to be remediated, and provided tax benefits so that
capital would be brought to them.
As you go throughout Ohio today and see abandoned factory sites where
buildings are being demolished and new buildings and businesses are
being built, it is to Paul's credit and one of the things he was most
proud of, that he was able to work to change the laws to help make it
easier for their sites to be developed.
He talked about the number of jobs that it brought, not just in
construction but the jobs that it brought to communities, recognizing
the impact on families.
Most recently, Ohio has been plagued by scandals arising from
predatory
[[Page H10125]]
lending, and Paul was a leader in trying to help families and
communities that had been subject to predatory lending, pulling
together the Ohio delegation to talk about ways we can impact our
neighborhoods and support laws that could impact families that had been
subject to predatory lending.
Paul will be remembered as an effective legislator, and as someone
who cared deeply for Ohio and for this institution and for his country,
and had an impact on the lives of Ohioans.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume
to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding on this very sad
occasion. I am sad to join my colleagues as we face the very sad news
regarding the loss of our colleague, Paul Gillmor.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Members of Congress, I rise to pay
tribute to Paul Gillmor, who passed away suddenly today. I offer my
deepest condolences to his wife, Karen, to his two daughters, Linda and
Julie, and his three sons, Paul Michael, Connor, and Adam. How proud he
was of his children. That was one thing that we used to chat about
quite regularly. I would hear about the progress of the twins and how
everybody was doing.
Congressman Paul Gillmor was an experienced and talented legislator
who spent much of his life serving his country. His service began in
the Air Force where he rose to the rank of captain as an Air Force
Judge Advocate. As a true Ohioan, Congressman Gillmor then served his
State in public office for more than four decades, first in the Ohio
State senate where he was elected President of that body, and later
here in the House where he also served ably and was held in highest
esteem by his colleagues.
More interested in policy than in seeking the limelight, Paul Gillmor
focused his time here in the House squarely on the needs of his
constituents. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was deeply
involved in consumer issues, including protecting consumers from unfair
credit report practices. He also worked to preserve our history by
supporting and improving sites honoring our Nation's Presidents. As
vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman Gillmor
was the highest ranking American in this highly esteemed international
organization of parliamentary members from the 26 NATO states.
Congressman Gillmor's passing is a loss for this House and for our
Nation. It is, of course, a greater loss for his family. I hope it is a
comfort to them, to Paul's family and friends, that so many people
mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time.
Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for us because we also learned of the
sudden passing of our former colleague, Jennifer Dunn. She was a
distinguished former Member of Congress from the State of Washington
and I know we will acknowledge her service and leadership in the
Congress on another occasion. But getting hit from all sides on this in
one day is a great loss for the Congress.
As I yield back to the distinguished gentlewoman, I also want to
thank her for bringing to the attention of so many Members of Congress
the passing of Congressman Vanik who served so ably in this body who
passed away last week. Anyone who knows about international human
rights knows that Congressman Vanik as part of the Jackson-Vanik
amendment did so much to free people in the Soviet Union. He made a
very big difference for Soviet Jewry.
Ohio has been generous to the country. We mourn the loss of Paul
Gillmor and Jennifer Dunn and Charles Vanik, who lived until his 90s,
so God blessed him with that long life.
God did not give Paul Gillmor a long life, but he gave him a life of
great quality with a beautiful family and the opportunity to serve a
State he loved and a country that he was very patriotic about.
On behalf of all of our colleagues, I extend my deepest sympathy to
his family.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Chabot).
Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I stand with my colleagues today to honor the memory of Paul Gillmor.
He was really a great guy. He actually ran the first time in 1988 for
this esteemed institution, for the Congress, the same year I first ran.
He won and I didn't. But in 1994 I did get to join him here.
He was one of the guys that, as other Members have said, he was just
an all around good guy. He really was. You liked to talk to him. For
some reason, he used to call me Mr. Steve; I don't know why he did
that. So I started calling him Mr. Paul, and that is the way we
referred to each other.
Yesterday evening after we had our votes, we had all come back into
town from the August recess and we were asking each other what did you
do over the break, what happened. He was telling me how he had stayed
pretty close to home. He had worked with his constituents, been with
his family for some time, and he wanted to know what I had done. I said
I had done some of those same things, and that I had also had an
opportunity to go to Darfur where there is probably one of the greatest
human tragedies that we have seen on Earth in a number of years, and he
was very interested and wanted to know what we can do to help the
people in Darfur. So we spent a period of time discussing that right
outside those doors just last evening. I was just shocked when I
learned that Paul had passed away suddenly so recently.
He was somebody that really I think made a difference in this
institution. As has been mentioned, he loved his Buckeyes. He would
talk about what they had done and how the game had been played and how
he couldn't wait to go to the next game. And he loved our State of
Ohio. He loved the people that he represented. And most especially, he
loved his family.
We are all going to miss Paul Gillmor, and we wish the best to his
wife, Karen, and his five children. God bless you, Paul.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I
rise to express my deep sadness to learn of the passing of one of my
good friends and colleagues, Paul Gillmor.
Paul was the ranking member of the Financial Institutions
Subcommittee that I chair, and I had the great privilege of working
with him on so many important issues throughout the years. In fact,
this morning at the hearing we were holding on the subprime mortgage
crisis, I had reserved 4 minutes for Paul to speak and he didn't come
to the meeting. He was always punctual, and so we sent a staff member
out to find him and found out the very, very sad news.
Paul was a distinguished Representative representing Ohio for many
years. He held some partisan positions as the minority deputy whip; but
on Financial Services, he was always ready to reach across the aisle
and to work in a bipartisan way for the safety and soundness of our
financial institutions and protections of consumer concerns.
He had a great deal of experience in banking, and in fact had run
banks back in his home State of Ohio, so he brought the practical
common sense of having known the business firsthand, and he always had
valuable insights.
Just before we broke for our August work period, we had introduced a
bill together on file freeze and negotiated various aspects that he
thought was important for the bill. He was an outstanding person.
He served in Vietnam and he was a distinguished veteran. He served in
the Air Force and achieved the status of captain. My brother served in
Vietnam, and we shared conversations about that experience.
He was an extremely outstanding leader in his home State of Ohio, and
actually served in the State senate and headed the State senate for
five terms before becoming elected to Congress.
My heart goes out to his wife and children. I know I speak for many
of my colleagues when I say that Paul's presence in this Chamber will
be deeply, deeply missed. He was an outstanding patriot and outstanding
Congressman and an outstanding spouse, husband and father. We are all
deeply, deeply saddened.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Stearns).
[[Page H10126]]
(Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, it is obviously with great sadness that we
all honor the service of our colleague and friend, Paul Gillmor.
Paul and I came to Congress the same year. We were in the 101st
Congress and we were both veterans of the United States Air Force. He
obviously expressed a great love for this Nation, for this institution,
and I believe sincerely he brought credit upon all of us.
This dedication was matched by his love for his family, his wife,
Karen, his two daughters, Linda and Julie, and his three sons, Paul
Michael, Connor and Adam. I express my deepest condolences to the
family.
I had the opportunity when I first met Paul to talk informally with
him about his background. He said he was a leader of the senate. Coming
from the private sector and not understanding the full significance of
what that meant, I became acutely aware of what it meant when I heard
him in informal sessions or in meetings where he had a presence about
him, an aplomb, and also a sincerity, in which he would express his
ideas in a way that would get to the meat of the issue and cut to the
chase. And I realized during this, he could do it tactfully. He was not
a partisan individual. He was bipartisan, in fact. I can't recollect on
the floor him having a really partisan speech because I think it goes
to when he was a leader of the senate, he understood to get things
done, he had to develop consensus. So when he went to a meeting, he
listened more than he talked and he also stepped forward with the idea
of what we should do in a very nice way such that most people would
say, Wow, at the end of the meeting, Paul Gillmor made the most sense.
Another vignette is when he was in the Speaker's chair. I watched
when there would be a huge din on the floor, and somehow his voice rose
to such a crescendo and also a pitch that he could pierce this noise
and bring order and stability to the House here. I used to watch him
also with great admiration on how he did this. It was a tribute to his
leadership and also his background as leader of the senate.
So I come to the House floor to say his dedication and expertise will
be greatly missed. He has had 40 years of public service. He
established a long record of working for average Americans. God bless
the Gillmor family, and God bless Paul Gillmor.
{time} 1630
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) has 2
minutes.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides have
5 additional minutes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Space).
Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleague for yielding
the time.
I'm a first-year lawmaker here in Washington and came in with this
new majority in a very partisan time in American political history, a
time where too often we're preoccupied with political bickering, a time
when we needed more people like Paul Gillmor on this floor.
Paul befriended me. We, by chance, both flew out of the Columbus
Airport to and from Washington, so we had a chance to sit and talk
about nonlegislative matters, about our families, about some of the
nonpolitical aspects of this job. And Paul was one to give advice,
despite the fact that we're on the opposite sides of the aisle. He
provided me, as a good man would, with the wisdom he's obtained, and as
a freshman, I was very grateful to him for his help.
I didn't know Paul before being elected to the House last November,
but we share many mutual friends. Harry Mishel is a dear friend of
mine, a former president of the Ohio senate, was a good friend of
Paul's and spoke very highly of Paul. And I think it's a testament to
the kind of person he is that he would engender that kind of friendship
and support, regardless of where one stands on the political aisle.
One other small anecdote that I think sums Paul up. A very good
friend of mine worked in the Ohio caucus 20 years ago when Paul was
with the Ohio senate, and recently, this friend returned to Columbus
and ran into Paul who was there while on break here. And after 20
years, Paul still remembered this man, not just his last name, but his
first name, and greeted him as a friend after 20 years.
That's the kind of man Paul Gillmor was. That's the kind of man I
will remember, and my deepest and heartfelt condolences from not just
me but the many good folks of Ohio's 18th District go out to Paul and
his family. He and they are in our prayers.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Price).
Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.
This is truly a day of great sadness for our conference, for this
House, for the State of Ohio and, yes, Mr. Speaker, for our Nation.
Though only in my second term in Congress, I came to know and
appreciate Paul Gillmor, serving on one of his committees, Financial
Services, and I came to appreciate him for many different and wonderful
attributes. He had a warm and gentle temperament, a calm and friendly
demeanor, a measured and thoughtful reason, a respected and a
respectful legislator. These and so many other attributes shall be
missed by one and all.
I join my colleagues in extending our thoughts and our prayers to his
constituents, to his friends, and most, to his family. We are truly a
better Nation because of the service of Paul Gillmor.
May God rest his soul.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the minority whip.
Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding and for
managing this recognition of our colleague Paul Gillmor.
Like so many people in this room, I've had lots of experiences with
Paul, and they were all good, whether they were watching him represent
our country in diplomatic situations in his role leading our NATO
parliamentary effort, one of the leaders in that effort, or whether it
was every Thursday when we had the deputy whip meeting and talked about
where we ought to be going as a conference, where we ought to be going
as a country.
I remember Paul said to me one time, he said, you know, that's my
favorite meeting of the week because that's where we talk about the
future, and Paul Gillmor was a future-oriented guy who loved his
family, who loved his country, who loved the concept of public service.
And he performed that public service well, whether it was years in the
Ohio State senate or two decades in the U.S. Congress.
We will truly miss him. We are surprised at his leaving us way too
early. His contributions would have continued to be great here, and the
country will suffer from the loss that we feel today.
I also want to reach out to his family. And as I said, Paul loved his
country, but he also loved his family. And you didn't have to spend
much time with him to find out that deep love he had for his sons, for
his daughters, for his wife and for his extended family. And I
appreciate him so much, and I'm going to join his family and his
friends in missing him. His place here will be hard to fill, and his
contributions have been great.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides have
an additional 5 minutes each.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield so much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), a good friend of Paul, a good
friend of our Ohio delegation.
Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember our good friend
Paul Gillmor. Just yesterday, the three of us rode together in from
Columbus.
I saw him in the airport, and I said, Hi, Gillmo. He said, Hi,
Honorable Dave, and we started to talk, as we did often, because we've
known each other a long time.
And I said, What'd you do, and he told me about going to the floods.
And
[[Page H10127]]
then we got into boats and he told us about his boat and the times he
was having on the lake with his children and Karen, and he was happy.
Then we started to talk business, because Paul wasn't just a
legislator. He was a businessman, too, and he was starting a bank in
Florida. He says, You want to invest? I said, Well, we've been talking
about that. So we talked about that for a while, and he was happy, and
we were all happy. We were colleagues, friends.
I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Paul Gillmor. When Paul
Gillmor was president of the senate, I lost an election and got
appointed to the State senate that Paul Gillmor was president then for
a few more weeks before we went in the minority, and he helped pick me.
He picked me, and the newspaper read ``Loser Wins.'' But Paul Gillmor
set me on the way.
I've never lost another election, thanks to Paul Gillmor. Paul
Gillmor was always there, and I think his staff knows that.
I met a young man then in the State senate named Mark Wellman who was
working for Paul then. He works with Paul to this day. That's the kind
of loyalty people had to Paul Gillmor.
I know of no politician in Ohio today who doesn't have respect for
Paul Gillmor and wasn't his friend. He transcended partisanship. He had
his way about the things he had to get done, but it never became
personal.
When we were in the legislature, both sides had great respect for
Paul Gillmor, and we used to meet together and talk about things
together. Paul Gillmor was a unique person in that respect because
there's always somebody out there that's got it in for somebody, but
they didn't have it in for Paul Gillmor because he was what I would
call a true gentleman.
We're SAEs and Ralph's an SAE, too, and Paul went to Ohio Wesleyan,
and I went to Ohio Wesleyan. We went there at the same time. But I
would meet people when I got in the State senate, and they said, Do you
know Skip, Skip Gillmor? I said, No, I don't know Skip Gillmor. I know
Senator Gillmor, but he was Skip Gillmor to all the people at Ohio
Wesleyan. And they loved him at Ohio Wesleyan, and they still do. One
of the first calls I got today was from people at Ohio Wesleyan saying
what do we do. I said I don't know.
We've lost a good friend. I hope Karen and the children can review
the statements that have been made about Paul today. It's something
that is not said about a lot of people. He was a good man, he was a
great man, and he was a great father to his children, which is the most
important thing, and we're going to miss him.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I just want to say,
too, that Paul cared a lot about his staff. He was always a person that
cared for others, and particularly his staff, and I want the members of
his staff to know that we understand the great loss that they feel.
And I guess particularly when I left the Ohio senate, my staff person
was inherited by Paul, and we used to often talk about Celia Foraker,
about Celia did this and Celia did that, because we both shared a great
fondness for her. I know that Paul felt that way about his staff here.
It's a great loss to his staff to have a Member that had the caring
concern that he did.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the people of Ohio have
lost a dedicated public servant and genuine leader today with the
passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor. As a colleague and friend in the
House of Representatives, Paul was a strong voice for the needs and
interests of the people he represented as well as a model of integrity.
In addition to the almost 20 years he served as a Member of Congress
and the two decades he spent in the Ohio State Senate, Paul was also a
veteran of the United States Air Force serving on active duty during
Vietnam.
As a fellow member of the Republican Whip Team, I enjoyed sitting
with Paul at the weekly meetings where he always was perceptive and
provided insight from his decades of legislative service.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul's family during these
difficult times.
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to the life of
Congressman Paul Gillmor and offer my sincere condolences to his
family. My wife and I extend our sympathies to Paul's wife Karen and
their 5 children. I know that no words can provide comfort during this
difficult time or shine light on this period of darkness, but please
know that Paul's family remains in my thoughts and prayers.
I had the pleasure to work closely with Paul as a Member of both the
Energy and Commerce Committee and Financial Services Committee for
nearly 10 years. I got to see first-hand his passion for public
service, his commitment to the people of Ohio and the earnest way in
which he approached his job. He truly loved representing his community
and making a positive difference in their lives and the lives of all
Americans.
The 5th District of Ohio was well served with Paul Gillmor in office
and he will be remembered dearly for his many years of public service.
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of our time.
Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests and join
with my colleagues issuing condolences to the Gillmor family, and I
yield back the balance of my time as well.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the resolution.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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