[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE RALPH REGULA. THE HONORABLE DEBORAH PRYCE AND 
                       THE HONORABLE DAVID HOBSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN A. BOEHNER

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 29, 2008

  Mr. BOEHNER. I rise today to pay tribute to three of my fellow 
Ohioans who are retiring at the end of the 110th Congress--Deborah 
Pryce, Dave Hobson, and Ralph Regula. All three are true public 
servants who have dedicated their lives to serving their constituents, 
Ohio, and this great Nation. This institution will miss their 
experience, their advocacy for critical issues, and their ability to 
get the job done.
  Deborah Pryce first served as a judge before being elected to 
Congress in 1992. She has ably served in critical positions in the 
House--on the Rules Committee and on the Financial Services Committee. 
She helped guide our Republican Conference as chairwoman. Deborah has 
been a tireless advocate for children and cancer research, and our 
country is better for her efforts. Congresswoman Deborah Pryce also has 
been a fighter for working families. As the mother of a young child, 
she understands the challenges working families--especially single 
mothers--face. Deborah has sacrificed more for this job than most 
others, and remained committed to her constituents despite personal 
heartache. I have seen her grow and learn more in her job than any 
other Member and I am proud to call her my friend.
  Dave Hobson and I started our careers in Congress at the same time. 
Previously, we served together in the Ohio General Assembly. ``Uncle 
Dave,'' as many call him, may not agree with your position, but he has 
always been willing to give you advice on how to accomplish your goal. 
One thing that I always admired about Congressman Hobson is his ability 
to find himself in the middle of whatever was going On. Like me, he's a 
former businessman. This background has been a genuine asset and 
translates well to a legislative environment as it has helped him know 
how to broker a deal.
  My constituents will perhaps feel Congressman Hobson's retirement the 
most, as our districts adjoin each other and we worked very closely 
together over the years on issues affecting Wright Patterson Air Force 
Base. Dave has a real heart for our men and women in military service. 
He was one of our first appropriators to take up the cause of overseas 
military housing. He was well suited to do this because he lived in it 
when deployed overseas during the Berlin Wall Crisis as a member of the 
Ohio Air National Guard.
  Ralph Regula--the dean of the Ohio delegation--has served in Congress 
with distinction for 36 years. As a respected cardinal on the 
Appropriations Committee, he chaired the Interior Subcommittee for 6 
years. Subsequently, he served as chairman of the Labor, Health and 
Human Services, and Education Subcommittee. During this time I served 
as chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Early 
in my tenure as chairman, Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act 
to help ensure that all children have the opportunity for a quality 
education. Ralph worked to ensure adequate funding for critical 
education priorities and our children and youth are better for it. He 
is a true gentleman and I am pleased to have worked closely with him.
  Ohio's delegation enjoys a close relationship. We're like a family--
we don't always see eye-to-eye but at the end of the day, we've always 
been able to work through our differences and work for what's best for 
Ohio. One thing is clear about Ralph, Dave, and Deborah. Members on 
both sides of the aisle respect their integrity and no one has doubted 
where hearts are--with their constituents, the great State of Ohio, and 
their country. I will miss their congeniality and thank them for their 
leadership and service. I wish Ralph and his wife Mary, Dave and his 
wife Carolyn, and Deborah and her daughter Mia the very best in the 
next stage of their lives.

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