[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 150 (Wednesday, November 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7507-H7508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF FORMER MEMBER OWEN PICKETT
(Mr. NYE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. NYE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a former colleague today, the
late Congressman Owen Pickett, who passed away on October 27 of this
year. Congressman Pickett dedicated his life to service to our
military, to our veterans, and to his constituents.
Mr. Speaker, Congressman Pickett served in Congress representing the
Second District of Virginia for 14 years, from 1987 to 2001, prior to
that serving in the Virginia House of Delegates. He passed away on
October 27 of this year at the age of 80.
Owen Pickett will be remembered as a man of resolve who understood
that the best way to get things done was to work with people from both
sides of the aisle. Congressman Pickett always put his constituents
first. He stayed out of the partisan bickering that so many politicians
fall prey to and instead focused his energy on how best to serve the
people he represented.
A member of the Armed Services Committee during his entire tenure, he
distinguished himself as an outspoken advocate for a strong, advanced,
and superior military, an improved quality of life for our military
personnel and their families, and enduring support of military
facilities for the Greater Hampton Roads region.
Congressman Pickett was a friend of mine, a mentor, and a champion
for our warfighters, and there are some here today who had the honor of
serving in this body with him.
At this time I would like to yield to my colleague from Virginia.
Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, we are saddened about the passing of our former
colleague, Representative Owen Pickett, who served the Second
Congressional District of Virginia from 1987 to 2001.
Owen was a respected and principled leader. Sometimes we really never
get to know each other in this institution, and sometimes it is at the
latest, sometimes almost never.
Owen was a good man, a decent man, very honest, very ethical, and
very, very committed to the military. He was a tireless representative
of the best interests of the Norfolk and Virginia Beach areas.
We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Sybil, his three
daughters, and his family. I just want to say ``Well done, thou good
and faithful servant.''
[From the Virginian-Pilot, Oct. 29, 2010]
Owen Pickett: A Practical Man
Tributes to Owen Pickett poured forth from members of both
political parties after his death Wednesday at the age of 80.
That was testament to the respect that Pickett commanded
from Republicans and Democrats across Hampton Roads and
Virginia. For decades, he persuaded people of all persuasions
to set aside their differences and accomplish important tasks
with courage and good humor.
His ecumenical politics and practical bent attracted fans
of every stripe and generation. No name comes up as
consistently in Editorial Board interviews when candidates
are asked which local leader they admire.
``I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good
friend Owen Pickett,'' said Gov. Bob McDonnell. ``Owen
dedicated his life to public service. He was a patriot. He
served the commonwealth in the House of Delegates and our
nation in the House of Representatives. That was his passion:
service.''
[[Page H7508]]
A centrist Democrat and fiscal conservative, Pickett spent
14 years representing Virginia Beach in the House of
Delegates. In 1986, he won election to Congress as the
representative for Virginia's 2nd District, succeeding the
similarly moderate G. William Whitehurst, a Republican.
In Washington, as in Richmond, Pickett burnished a
reputation for being steady and unassuming, courtly and
nonpartisan. Colleagues described him as an effective
legislator who toiled behind the scenes as an advocate not
just for military service members but for all of Hampton
Roads.
Proof isn't limited to the 2nd District. The U.S.
Customhouse in downtown Norfolk, for example, wasn't even
part of Pickett's territory, but that didn't stop him from
securing the federal funds needed to renovate it. Today, the
building bears his name.
After leaving Congress in 2001, Pickett devoted himself to
the community, spreading around some $200,000 in leftover
campaign funds to local charities and causes.
In Virginia Beach, where he made his home for more than
half his life, Pickett helped found the Meals on Wheels
program, the Virginia Beach Hospice and the Oceana Lions
Club. He was president of the Princess Anne Rotary and
Ruritan clubs and in 2003 was honored with the Virginia Beach
Jaycees' First Citizen award.
But even outside elected office, Pickett retained
influence. He spent his final years offering advice to any
who sought it, whether they were Democrats, such as U.S. Sen.
Jim Webb and Rep. Glenn Nye, or Republicans, including
McDonnell and state Sen. Jeff McWaters.
``When I was trying to decide whether to run for state
Senate, I called Congressman Pickett and he encouraged me to
do so,'' McWaters said. ``Though we sit on different sides of
the political aisle, this never seemed to matter as much to
him as getting the job done.''
For a practical man like Pickett, there may be no higher
praise.
____
[From the Virginian-Pilot Oct. 29, 2010]
Former 2nd District Congressman Owen Pickett Dies
(By Julian Walker)
The three offices that former U.S. Rep. Owen B. Pickett
maintained during his 14 years in Congress--in Norfolk,
Virginia Beach and Washington--shared this feature: a sign
that read, ``This office belongs to the people of the 2nd
congressional district of Virginia.''
That simple motto, said those who knew him, exemplified
Pickett's modest approach to elected office as a full-time
post in which addressing constituent concerns was a priority
and principle took precedence over partisanship.
``He took his job very seriously,'' said Jeanne Evans-Cox,
who worked for Pickett throughout his congressional career.
``I used to call him the `quiet warrior' because he didn't
say an awful lot, but he took everything in. He was a great
listener. He would size up the issue, figure out his
strategy, give me directions, and we'd move forward.''
Pickett, 80, died Wednesday due to complications from
congestive heart failure.
The Democrat leaves behind scores of admirers on both sides
of the aisle after a lengthy career as a lawyer, an esteemed
state and federal legislator, and finally an adviser who
provided counsel to plenty of political hopefuls.
A native of rural Hanover County in suburban Richmond,
Pickett was raised in humble conditions. His father died when
he was a young child, leaving his mother and an older brother
to help support the family, according to friends.
It was evident early on that Pickett had a keen intellect,
but he never used it to avoid hard work, recalled his
lifelong friend George Campbell.
The pair attended Virginia Tech together, beginning in the
late 1940s. Their paths separated when Pickett headed to law
school at the University of Richmond, but the friendship
endured. Campbell, who still lives in Hanover, routinely
checked on a tract of land Pickett owned in central Virginia.
Campbell said that when they last spoke by phone about a
week ago, Pickett realized the end was near and was at peace
with it.
``We maintained a very close relationship, and I'd say he's
the best friend I ever really had,'' Campbell said.
Many who knew Pickett had a similarly strong affection for
him.
Ken Geroe, a Virginia Beach lawyer and longtime Pickett
ally, called the late congressman a ``dear friend and a
mentor,'' adding ``there's a hole in my life that won't be
filled.''
Geroe said he came to Pickett's attention through his work
on Gerald Baliles' successful gubernatorial campaign in 1985,
a contest in which the former congressman had a leadership
role.
``He probably started talking to me because I was the only
person at his desk at 6:30 in the morning he could talk to,''
said Geroe, a former Democratic chairman of the 2nd
Congressional District.
Pickett failed in a 1967 run for Beach commonwealth's
attorney, but election success didn't elude him for long. He
won a House of Delegates race in 1971 and served 15 years in
the state legislature before his election to Congress in
1986.
A Blue Dog Democrat with a sharp focus on military issues
because of the nature of his district, Pickett often
partnered with other House members regardless of party to
protect local interests, said Evans-Cox.
Added former Pickett intern Walter Valencia: ``He didn't
mind crossing party lines if it benefited the district and
the state. . . . He just took care of his people.''
Pickett retired in 2001, in part because he'd become
disenchanted with the growing rancor on Capital Hill, Evans-
Cox said, noting that Pickett mused about a Congress that had
evolved from a place where ``people did things the right
way'' to one where officials worked ``against each other for
partisan purposes, not a common goal.''
Pickett was more pithy when he announced in 1999 that he
would not seek re-election.
``When Washington, D.C., begins to look better in your rear
view mirror than it does in your windshield, you know it is
time to consider making a change,'' he said, according to an
account in The Virginian-Pilot.
Stepping away from Washington didn't entirely keep Pickett
out of politics.
He mentored candidates who sought his guidance, including
former state Finance Secretary Jody Wagner, who
unsuccessfully sought to succeed him, and more recently, 2009
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.
Another post-retirement pastime was a weekly Saturday lunch
with friends at Black Angus Restaurant in the Beach that
featured lively discussions about everything except politics,
said eatery co-owner Michael Savvides.
When the group met a few weeks ago, Savvides said, Pickett
confided that ``he had a wonderful life and he didn't mind if
he died, believe it or not. It's ironic, but he did say that.
. . . I guess he was ready. I guess he had enough.''
Mr. NYE. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the citizens of Hampton Roads and
the Commonwealth of Virginia lost a dedicated public servant. I had the
honor and privilege of serving with Owen both in the Virginia House of
Delegates as well as Congress, and I join my colleague Mr. Moran, in
stating that Owen Pickett was a true statesman and effective legislator
who enjoyed great respect on both sides of the aisle.
As has already been pointed out, although he retired almost a decade
ago, he remained an important, active voice on issues affecting Hampton
Roads and the Commonwealth of Virginia. I thank my colleague from
Virginia and all of my colleagues from Virginia for the great respect
and admiration that they have shown to Owen Pickett.
Mr. NYE. I yield to our distinguished majority leader, the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I want to join particularly with my friend Frank Wolf, who is my good
friend. We work very closely together.
Owen Pickett was the kind of Member that brought real respect to this
institution. He worked on both sides of the aisle. He worked very
strongly on behalf of our national security. He was a Member who was
popular on both sides of the aisle. Owen Pickett and Norm Sisisky
served together on this side of the aisle with Frank and me for many
years.
Owen Pickett was someone who this institution could have justifiable
pride in. We could look to him and say that is the kind of Member,
frankly, that we all ought to be, showing respect for one another,
working with one another on behalf of the American people and their
security.
I rise to extend great sympathy to his family, but much more
importantly than that, to give thanks on behalf of this institution and
on behalf of our country for his extraordinary service.
Mr. NYE. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the House now observe a moment
of silence to remember Congressman Owen Pickett, a former Member who
will be dearly missed in southeast Virginia.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will all Members please rise.
____________________