[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 100 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5441-H5445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF TIMOTHY JOHN RUSSERT, JR.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1275) honoring the life of Timothy John
Russert, Jr., public servant, political analyst, and author.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1275
Whereas Tim Russert was born in Buffalo, New York, on May
7, 1950;
Whereas Tim Russert graduated from Canisius High School in
Buffalo, John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio,
and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio,
and received 48 honorary doctorate degrees;
[[Page H5442]]
Whereas Tim Russert served as special counsel to Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan from 1977 to 1982 and counselor to
Governor Mario Cuomo from 1983 to 1984;
Whereas Tim Russert began his celebrated career in
journalism with the National Broadcasting Company in 1984,
reporting from South America, Australia, China, and Rome,
where he arranged for the first live appearance on American
television by Pope John Paul II;
Whereas in 1991, Tim Russert was named moderator of ``Meet
the Press'', the longest-running program in the history of
television;
Whereas Tim Russert served masterfully as anchor and
political analyst, and earned a reputation as a tenacious yet
fair interviewer of his guests, who included the leading
political candidates, holders of public office, and
newsmakers of the day;
Whereas Tim Russert moderated presidential debates with the
same dogged yet respectful manner with which he conducted his
interviews, and in so doing provided a valuable service to
American voters;
Whereas Tim Russert was a successful author, and his moving
books ``Big Russ and Me'' and ``Wisdom of our Fathers''
became New York Times bestsellers;
Whereas Tim Russert won an Emmy Award for his coverage of
the funeral of President Ronald Reagan; he also won the Radio
and Television Correspondents' Joan S. Barone Award, the
Annenberg Center's Walter Cronkite Award, and the Edward R.
Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Television Journalism
for his interviews of leading national political figures;
Whereas Tim Russert sat in the front seat of world history,
chronicling the domestic and international political events
that have defined our time, deftly describing and analyzing
these events for millions of Americans;
Whereas Tim Russert was a man of devoted and humble faith
who believed in the value of a Jesuit education and who
called himself ``a respectful servant in the laity of the
church'';
Whereas Tim Russert powerfully advocated on behalf of
abused children and voiced the need to protect our Nation's
young people, serving on the board of directors of the Boys
and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and America's Promise
Alliance;
Whereas Tim Russert was a prominent booster of Buffalo and
a famous fan of his beloved Buffalo Bills;
Whereas Tim Russert was always proud of his South Buffalo
roots and was a source of civic pride in the western New York
community; and
Whereas Tim Russert's love for his family was evident to
all who knew him and to readers of his books: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and honors the contributions of Timothy John
Russert, Jr., as an award-winning political analyst; and
(2) expresses its deepest condolences upon the death of
Timothy John Russert, Jr., to his wife, Maureen Orth, his
son, Luke, and his surviving family members and friends.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Higgins) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam 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
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, it's with a heavy heart that I call up for
consideration H. Res. 1275 which honors the life of legendary
journalist Tim Russert whose life slipped away suddenly on Friday, June
13, 2008. I would like to thank the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform Ranking Member Tom Davis and also Committee Chair
Henry Waxman.
That said, it is with profound regret that I stand before you on the
floor of the House today to mourn and commemorate the life of Tim
Russert, an icon of America's media for nearly two decades. Mr. Russert
died on Friday after collapsing at NBC's Washington, D.C., home of
``Meet the Press'' at age 58.
While Tim Russert was a former Democratic congressional staffer,
Washington bureau chief, and senior vice president of NBC News, the
world knew him best as the host of the famous Sunday morning news show
``Meet the Press.''
In addition to his professional journalism accomplishments, Mr.
Russert was also a best-selling author, penning the New York Times
best-selling memoir ``Big Russ & Me'' and ``Wisdom of Our Fathers.''
From his chair at ``Meet the Press,'' Mr. Russert demonstrated his
dedication to Democracy, his passion for politics, his admiration for
fairness, honesty, and humanity. Mr. Russert's enthusiasm for
journalism and politics earned him the respect and acclaim of so many
Americans, including myself and many of my colleagues.
Born in Buffalo, New York, on May 7, 1950, Tim Russert received his
undergraduate degree from John Carroll University, then proceeded to
earn a law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Over the
years, he earned 48 honorary doctorate degrees, which serves as further
evidence of his prolific impact on the world.
While Tim Russert sat in the front seat of world history chronicling
the domestic and international political events that have defined our
time, he performed his work with great humanity and quality of
character. Tim Russert had a gift for making the all-too-complex nature
of Washington politics understandable and compelling for Americans
across our great country.
In recognition of his work as the epitome of journalistic talent and
devotion, Tim Russert won an Emmy Award for his coverage of the funeral
of President Ronald Reagan, the Radio and Television Correspondents'
Joan S. Barone Award, the Annenberg Center's Walter Cronkite Award, and
the Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Television
Journalism for his interviews of leading national political figures.
As the former Washington bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal
stated, Tim Russert ``really was the best political journalist in
America, not just the best television journalist in America.''
Accordingly, it is my hope that we will join the citizens of this
country in recognizing and honoring the contributions of a great
American, Timothy John Russert, Junior.
H. Res. 1275 formally expresses our deepest condolences upon the
death of Timothy John Russert, Junior, and expends our sympathies to
his wife Maureen and his son Luke for their loss. It is a loss that
will certainly impact all of us for quite some time to come.
Madam Speaker, earlier today, I attended at St. Albans the viewing
service for Tim Russert with Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul, a trusted
friend, former colleague, and student intern of Tim Russert. The
tribute based on a line that was extending around the campus is
extraordinary and profound to recognize his life.
I would like to leave you with the story about Tim Russert and how he
made it to Washington from his native Buffalo. Tim Russert would always
tell that story to highlight the importance of the working-class values
that were instilled in him by his father, Big Russ.
It was the blizzard of 1977 when 3 feet of snow fell on Buffalo with
extraordinary winds. Tim Russert was working for Daniel Patrick
Moynihan at the time. Moynihan had come to Buffalo to survey the damage
from the blizzard.
{time} 1715
He was so impressed with Tim Russert, Senator Moynihan said, ``Tim,
you have to come to Washington; you have great qualities that will
serve you very well there, and you can be with me on my staff.''
Russert went to Washington and, after a short period of time, was
somewhat discouraged. Senator Moynihan had recognized that he was
discouraged and asked him what the problem was. Tim said, ``Senator,
your staff is made up of ideologues, Ivy League-educated people, and
I'm from a blue collar background in Buffalo.'' Senator Moynihan put
his arm around Tim and said, ``Tim, what they know you can learn. What
you know, the values of hard work, of honesty, of love of community, of
love of family, they can never learn.''
It's with that that Tim Russert started his career in Washington, in
both politics first and foremost and then in journalism.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Tim Russert was a great man whose time came too early. He had much
more to give to us, not just this past Sunday where he would have had
Joe
[[Page H5443]]
Biden in a one-on-one or a one-on-two and then brought him to task and
brought his other guests to task.
But in fact, his legacy will disappear unless we bring ourselves to
realize that the truth should not be a casualty of politics. That's
what Tim Russert really brought to bear on ``Meet the Press.'' He made
the style about the truth. He invited Republicans, Democrats. I think
he had Ralph Nader on more than a few times. He made it a point to
bring in people who were interesting, and then he asked them
interesting questions. And when they answered, he then brought out the
interesting fact that they perhaps had not yet prepared for. He asked
them to tell the truth, and then if that was not the truth or if there
was more to be heard in the truth, he brought that out. His research
was second-to-none.
Now, he certainly seemed to say every single week, ``Go Bills.'' But
as a Clevelander, I am going to take a little liberty today in his name
because when it came time to go to a fine college, he went to John
Carroll, a Jesuit college in the city in which my high school,
Cleveland Heights University High School, was located. He went there
because it was a fine education. I'm only surprised that he learned
during those years that it was a little less expensive to go to John
Marshall for his law school. So he trotted downtown to Cleveland's John
Marshall, now Cleveland State's John Marshall Law School. So he was as
much a Clevelander in his education, in his preparation, as he was from
Buffalo.
I think that, in fact, his Cleveland roots are something we need to
understand because one of the most famous things he ever did was
predict in 2004 that it would be ``Ohio, Ohio, Ohio,'' that would
indicate the outcome of the 2004 election. I know, Madam Speaker, that
you're well aware that Ohio was, in fact, critical, not Florida.
Tim Russert was the kind of person who really enjoyed that kind of
let's call the facts to bear, let's bring them in, let's force people
to answer tough questions. He did so whether you were a Republican or a
Democrat. He did so whether or not the outcome was one direction or the
other.
I believe that's part of his Cleveland upbringing. I believe it's
what made him great. So he will always be remembered for talking about
the Buffalo Bills, but for me, he will always be remembered as somebody
who was the product of Jesuit education at John Carroll and Cleveland-
John Marshall.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman
from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Professional journalism and millions around the world are in mourning
today and ever since they heard of the passing of one of America's
giants of journalism. Hometown D.C. is also experiencing its special
brand of mourning.
It's true that Tim Russert always talked about Buffalo and the
Buffalo Bills. He never let you forget where he was from. It was
important to him, where he was from. He identified with the Buffalo
Bills because he identified with Buffalo and because Buffalo reminded
him of his childhood and his church and his working class upbringing.
The fact is that Tim made his fortune in the District of Columbia and
lived in this city. So we adopted Tim long ago as a resident of the
city, knowing that his heart was back in Buffalo, but he needed a
hometown. This was a man who always needed a hometown, and I can tell
you he knew where he lived, and he made me know that he knew where he
lived.
I was, in fact, on his program more than once and especially remember
one of his end-of-the-year programs, where he kind of looked at the
world and looked at what is going to happen. I love it that somehow Tim
understood or at least allowed me to weave into an answer what he
expected, which was some notion of voting rights that was still
necessary in the District of Columbia.
Buffalo and the Buffalo Bills were the only things I know that Tim
was not objective about. His gift was somehow to humanize hard news and
subjects for interviews by reminding us every so often of Buffalo and
the Buffalo Bills and making us laugh and making us know that he was
one of us all. At the same time, he managed to be a thoroughly
objective reporter and tough interrogator. That, Madam Speaker, is
indeed a gift. I don't know of anyone else in broadcast who has that
gift.
What was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to hear were the many
personal stories from Tim's colleagues, not about their professional
work with him but about how he related to them and their families as
people. That, in a real sense, makes us know that when Tim talked about
the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo this was always the human being talking.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman's time has expired.
Mr. HIGGINS. I yield 1 additional minute to the gentlewoman from the
District of Columbia.
Ms. NORTON. By talking about ``Big Russ'' his father and writing
about ``Big Russ,'' Tim was reminding us that he always knew whatever
he did on his program, what was important, that family was important.
He was not a politician but imagine what kind of politician he would
have made? Can you imagine what he would have done in political life?
Tim took an old, respected format and made it new. Tim revolutionized
his species of broadcast and branded it as his own.
Our hearts are breaking but our hearts go out to Maureen, to Luke,
and especially to Tim's beloved ``Big Russ.''
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
No story of Tim Russert would be complete if we didn't talk about the
loss we're going to have this political season. Clearly, as Barack
Obama and John McCain compete for the hearts and minds of the American
people, we're going to miss Tim Russert asking the tough questions.
We're going to miss him undoubtedly at the debates. Somebody else is
going to have to be there to be fair but tough.
Madam Speaker, additionally, we're going to miss Tim Russert when it
comes to the people on both sides of the issue of why we have $5
gasoline and $135 oil. I think Tim Russert would have been just the
right guy to hold people accountable, who would talk about the 68
million acres that are ``inactive'' while, in fact, 41 million are
under current lease and use and are producing millions of barrels of
oil and natural gas a day, but more importantly, over 2 billion, 2
billion acres are not available for exploration and development,
including the over 50 miles and less than 200 miles off the California
coast. Those miles certainly could give us the natural gas we need to
fire our electricity in California at a time when we are dangerously
close to the lights going out once again.
So, Madam Speaker, I'm going to miss Tim Russert because this debate
is too important not to have, a fact-oriented, unbiased moderator who
can, in fact, bring to bear the truth that we need to have.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from New York (Ms. Slaughter).
Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise with a heavy heart today because last Friday, one of Buffalo's
most cherished sons was taken from us Today, I join my colleagues in
celebrating the life of Tim Russert, whose contributions to journalism
and American discourse will outlive us all.
As anyone who watched ``Meet the Press'' knows, Tim Russert never
forgot where he came from. He was an unabashed and shameless fan of
anything Buffalo, and that was fitting. He embodied the values of the
old steel town: honesty, integrity, and hard work. Instead of
forgetting them when he came to Washington, as so many do, he brought
Buffalo with him.
When Tim Russert spoke with someone, he was making a friend, not
climbing a ladder. While his career soared, he stood with his feet
solidly on the ground. A product of his South Buffalo roots, his
character was his trademark and earned him the respect of journalists
and politicians and all Americans alike.
Tim Russert didn't chase ratings by taking cheap shots. He didn't
distort his guests' positions to create a news story. He always asked
fair questions, encouraged open debate, and held politicians
accountable to the people who
[[Page H5444]]
elected them. He was the epitome of a journalist, sorely lacking today,
and his show was the gold standard.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention his role in honoring
fatherhood. Tim Russert reminded Americans of the important role
fathers play in child rearing, both through his books and by sharing
stories about ``Big Russ'' and his own son. His admiration for his
father and his unconditional love for his son were evident every time
he spoke of them.
There will be a void on America's television sets every Sunday, and
later this fall, the Bills and the Sabers will miss the sounds of
cheers from their most loyal fan. But Tim Russert's legacy, his
unwavering pride in Buffalo, his devotion to his family, and his
indelible mark on journalism will live on.
My thoughts are with his wife and son and the rest of the Russert
family.
Mr. ISSA. I would continue to reserve.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
Madam Speaker, Tim Russert personified the best of America. He rose
to the top of American journalism. He worked for a Governor, a United
States Senator, and received a very good education, but he never ever
lost the common touch. He never strayed from his Buffalo roots. He
loved to talk about Buffalo. He knew that I had many relatives living
in Buffalo.
On the ``Today Show,'' his son, Luke, called his father ``the
questioner for the American people.'' He had a high calling, a mission,
a mandate, to ask politicians and public officials the questions most
Americans could not.
When we mourn for Tim Russert, we mourn for his wife, his son, and
his father, ``Big Russ.'' We mourn for his colleagues at NBC and the
community of journalists, but we also mourn for ourselves at a turning
point in the history of our Nation. We mourn for his words, his
insight, and his commitment to the people's right to know.
God bless Tim Russert. He will be deeply missed.
{time} 1730
Mr. ISSA. I have no further requests for time and I continue to
reserve my time.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I think the whole country shared in
mourning the loss of Tim Russert as if he was part of our family. We
had seen him on television for so many years, and he would come into
our homes on Sunday mornings.
And he was so much like so many people in America in that he was
passionate about politics, passionate about government, passionate
about sports, and passionate about being an American. He loved his
Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabers, he loved baseball and he loved horse
racing. He loved politics, and he had two great mentors in Senator
Patrick Moynihan and in Governor Mario Cuomo, two of the great people
in political life to ever have the opportunity to work for.
And he was a success story, climbing from the ranks of a government
official in the media and perfecting that trade and going to the
heights of his profession. He was diligent in doing his research and in
quizzing everybody, I think, in an even-handed manner that you really
didn't know exactly where Tim Russert was coming from. I had the
pleasure of meeting him at a Vanity Fair dinner, which I was invited to
last year, and we were at a small table. At the time, I didn't know his
wife worked for Vanity Fair. I thought Tim Russert was just there
because he was Tim Russert, and that was a good enough reason for him
to be there. And he was nice as he could be, just a regular guy, and we
had a delightful conversation.
He loved his father. And the book about his dad, Russ, has been well
spoken about. But I think what's amazing is I have a very good friend
in Memphis named Ted Donaldson. And Ted had written a letter to Tim
Russert to be included in the book. And Ted's not a bashful guy at all,
and Ted came up to Tim Russert at a function, I think it was in New
York, and he said, ``Hi, I'm Ted Donaldson, I'm from Memphis and I
wrote you about my dad.'' And he said, ``Yup, page 45.'' He knew
exactly the page in the book that it was. He knew his book. He
appreciated the people who remembered their fathers and wrote and
shared with him. And that book will go on forever remembering the
relationship of fathers and sons. I'm sure his son Luke has a great
tribute, what he lived and what he remembers from his father and will
have a great life. I mourn with him and I'm sorry that he lost his
father.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I will continue to reserve.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman, and to
the New Yorkers and Washingtonians that had the privilege of having Tim
Russert as their native son and someone who moved to their particular
area, and to the State of Ohio where he was educated.
Let me thank the author of this legislation, the Congressman from New
York (Mr. Higgins), the full committee Chair and ranking member.
This is a special tribute that is necessary for this body because we
are nothing without words. And Tim Russert was the architect of words
that gave politicians a basis of explaining how democracy works. That's
what Meet the Press and Sunday morning was all about for many, many
Americans.
So I rise to pay tribute to Tim Russert for his life and what he gave
to the process of government, and to thank him as well as I watched
over the weekend in the times that I was able to see the tributes
toward him that he also gave a sense of importance of family, and how
he emphasized his wife and his son and of course his family and ``Big
Russ.''
And isn't it interesting that he lost his life on the weekend of
Father's Day? But it allows so many to emphasize that he was more than
just the moderator, the host of Meet the Press; he was an American who
loved this country and loved his flag, but he was also someone who
loved his family and showed America that even in all of his energy and
all of his business he could stop and smell the roses and appreciate
the wonderment of his family.
And so I join my colleagues in tribute to him today on the floor of
the House and ask, as we celebrate his life, that we will be reminded
of the preciousness of democracy and all that we have in benefits to be
able to stand on this floor and to espouse our words and to talk about
what democracy and freedom is all about. Tim Russert captured it in his
love for this process, and his giving to America the ability to
understand it in layman's terms.
I offer my deepest sympathy to the Russert family.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, just let me say in closing, Tim Russert
was the voice to a Nation and to the world with a distinct inflection
of that of Buffalo, imbued with exuberance and tempered with a love of
family and community and country.
With that, I would ask that this resolution be approved.
Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of
Mr. Tim Russert, devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend,
whose brilliant legacy as a journalist served to inform the lives of
all who knew him well.
Since 1991, Mr. Russert's piercing assessment of our Nation's
political scene graced America's television screens on NBC's ``Meet the
Press,'' enlightening viewers with tough questions posed to political
candidates, elected leaders and influential people of our time. In his
relentless search for the truth, Tim Russert served to provide the
checks and balances critical to maintaining the integrity of our
national freedoms. In every interview, with every question posed, Mr.
Russert created an atmosphere of respect, fairness and integrity--an
atmosphere in which his ultimate goal as a journalist was sought--
discovering the truth.
Tim Russert grew up in working-class Buffalo, NY, where the lessons
of hard work, faith and family remained at the core of his being. He
and three sisters, Betty, Kathleen, and Patricia were raised by their
dedicated parents, Tim and Elizabeth (``Betty''). A sanitation worker
and truck driver, his father worked two jobs to provide for his four
children. He carried the lessons of his parents every day and within
every interview. One of the most engaging and effective journalists of
our time, his passion and commitment to his profession was
[[Page H5445]]
eclipsed only by his devotion to his family and friends. Mr. Russert
shared his joy for life with everyone he met, and he treated everyone
with respect and kindness, regardless of their social standing. Tim
Russert never forgot where he came from, and his street-smart common
sense, infused with a brilliant mind and kind heart, endeared everyone
to him--even his toughest competitors.
Madam Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance
of Mr. Tim Russert, whose professional legacy raised critical and
complex societal issues into the clear light of day. I offer my deepest
condolences to his wife, Maureen; to his son, Luke; to his parents and
sisters, and to his extended family members and numerous friends. Tim
Russert lived his life with passion and joy, and although he will be
greatly missed, the love he shared with family and friends will live on
forever, and he will be remembered always.
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, there are two types of people
in Washington--those known for what they love and those known for what
they hate. Tim Russert was known for all the things he loved.
He loved politics, as he discovered at an early age and as his two
bosses in the industry--Mario Cuomo and Daniel Patrick Moynihan--would
learn to cherish. He loved humor. All of America knew his jowly and
ever-present smile. He loved the give-and-take of a good, rousing
political argument--as I and all who appeared with him on Meet the
Press would attest.
He loved his family. What moved him finally to write a book? His love
for his father. It led to two books, in fact, both of which ended up
atop The New York Times bestseller list. His son, Luke, was one of the
luckiest kids in Washington. He grew up with a sports-mad dad who took
him to every game or match they could squeeze into their days. Nats
baseball. Bills football. Wizards basketball. On nights when none were
playing, a good high school or college game. Now, Luke and James
Carville co-host a sports talk show on XM.
He loved his faith. He called his time in the Catholic schools of
Buffalo the most important of his life. He served on numerous boards
and devoted countless hours to working on behalf of his faith.
He loved the people who make up Washington--the leaders and media
moguls, of course. But he also had a strong relationship with those who
are never seen in front of the cameras. It was Russert who stood
against staff cutbacks and defended the hard-working men and women
behind the scenes who made his show a reality each week.
A lot of people claim to love, but when it comes time to do the work
that exemplifies this love, they fall short. That was not the case with
Tim Russert. He did the work. He scooped the competitors. He put in the
time with family. He practiced and lived his faith. He lived and died
with his teams. He looked out for the big and little people in his
midst.
A number of commentators have seemed surprised by the extensive
coverage of his passing, how hard America seems to be taking it. Why?
This is just my guess, but I think when the American people watched him
every Sunday morning or during election or other news coverage, they
saw a little bit of themselves. They saw someone inherently fair,
scrupulously prepared, unfailingly thankful and thoroughly, pleasantly
humble. He had the conversation with world leaders and newsmakers we
like to think we'd have had if we'd been there. He was us. Part of our
families. And we will miss him.
Mr. REYNOLDS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1275
honoring the life of Timothy John Russert, Jr.
It has been just days since one of Buffalo's favorite sons was taken
from us tragically, and suddenly. We have been touched by the makeshift
memorial outside the NBC News bureau in Washington, DC, the flags
flying at half-staff outside City Hall in Buffalo and Rockefeller
Center in New York City, and the thousands who have come from all walks
of life to visit the park right outside South Buffalo that bears the
name of this giant of broadcast journalism.
Tim and I walked similar beats, cutting our teeth in New York
politics--the tricks of the trade Tim picked up working for the late
great Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and former Gov. Mario Cuomo, he took
with him to NBC, where he ended up the sparring partner of many a
public official, including me. Every time we got together, Tim was
tough, but fair--and at the end of the day, we were still two Buffalo
guys who could talk shop about the Bills and the Sabres.
Though we cannot begin to comprehend the reach of Tim Russert's
legacy--we are still a community in mourning--we can say with great
certainty that he has left an indelible mark on all of us.
Thank you, Tim. Go Bills!
Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1275.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________