[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 184 (Tuesday, December 4, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14129-H14130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1900
  MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF FORMER REPRESENTATIVE HENRY HYDE OF 
                                ILLINOIS

  (Mr. COSTELLO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I regret to inform the Members that 
former Congressman Henry Hyde died this past Friday, November 30. Henry 
served in the Illinois legislature for 8 years, from 1967 to 1974. 
Henry was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and 
served for 32 years until his retirement after the 109th Congress.
  Henry was both liked and respected by those of us who served with 
him. He chaired both the Judiciary and International Relations 
Committee, presiding over both with the same intelligence and eloquence 
he brought to all floor debate. Last month, President Bush presented 
Henry with the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, our Nation's 
highest civilian honor, for his meritorious service to his country.
  Members should know that directly after votes this evening, Mr. 
Roskam and I have reserved a Special Order to recognize and remember 
the service of Henry Hyde later on this evening. Those who want to 
participate can do so or submit a statement.
  At this time I would yield to my friend from Illinois (Mr. Roskam).
  Mr. ROSKAM. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, many of us come to Washington, D.C. for our first time 
and we go out and about and we introduce ourselves. And I did that as a 
candidate, introduced myself to people, and they had no interest 
whatsoever in who I was. I tried then to seek a little bit of common 
ground and tell them where I am from. They had no interest whatsoever 
in where I was from.
  And then I didn't play fair. Then I said to them, I am running to 
succeed Congressman Hyde. At that moment, the demeanor on every single 
person changed. They pulled me a little bit closer, they grabbed my 
elbow, and they would say, Henry Hyde, let me tell you about Henry 
Hyde. They would tell some unbelievable story about how Henry Hyde 
would come down to the well of this Chamber in a packed place and with 
the whole country watching and do what great statesmen do, and

[[Page H14130]]

that was to speak to the great weighty issues of the day. Or they would 
tell me about Henry Hyde and a kindness that he had extended to them 
out of the presence of anybody else, that no one would ever know about.
  So it is with a great deal of regret that Mr. Costello and I are here 
announcing the passing of a great man. This great man was my 
predecessor. He was known not only ultimately for what he accomplished 
and what he stood for but I think actually who he was.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I would ask the House to observe a 
moment of silence in remembrance of our friend, Henry Hyde.

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