[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 28, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      ON THE RETIREMENT OF HOUSE PARLIAMENTARIAN JOHN V. SULLIVAN

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. It's my privilege today to pay tribute to John Sullivan, 
who will retire this week after 8 years of service as our 
Parliamentarian and 25 years of service to this House.
  John leaves his post with much to be proud of, starting with a first-
rate team of parliamentarians who will do a fine job carrying on his 
legacy.
  The parls are the people who are here first every morning, and 
they're also the last ones to leave at night. They review every piece 
of legislation. They keep us tethered to the rules and traditions that 
are the House's foundation. In this way, the parliamentarians are 
really the glue that holds this House together.
  The leader of that team is John Sullivan, whose devotion to the House 
is as total as his commitment to Indiana basketball. Now, Coach Bobby 
Knight once defined ``discipline'' as ``doing what you have to do, 
doing it as well as you possibly can, and doing it that way all the 
time.'' By this definition, John truly is one of the most disciplined 
people to have ever served in this House.
  He consistently has shown grace under pressure in what well may be 
one of the biggest pressure cookers on Earth. He has strengthened and 
modernized the Office of the Parliamentarian to meet the needs of a 
more open and transparent Congress.
  John, who was here on 9/11, determined how the House should go 
forward, and has spent every day preparing for the unexpected. In a 
body where anything can happen, he's always thinking two steps ahead, 
like any good coach.
  So, of course, John's a modest man. He would just say it was just him 
doing his job. Like I said, discipline. But make no mistake: for the 
House and the people that we serve, he's gone above and beyond the call 
of duty.
  John, we're sorry to see you go, but we want to wish you and your 
family the best. On behalf of the whole House, we want to thank you for 
your service.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the Democratic leader, Ms. 
Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the Speaker for yielding. I am proud to join him 
to honor the long and distinguished service of the House 
Parliamentarian, John Sullivan.
  For 25 years, as has been said, he has served the House with 
distinction and dignity, integrity and intellect. He has used his keen 
mind, excellent legal training, and a commitment to public service to 
make nonpartisan, objective decisions. Always first in his mind was the 
Constitution and, therefore, his undying respect for the institution of 
Congress. Indeed, through his service and his example, John Sullivan 
has become an institution himself, a source of wise counsel and 
parliamentary leadership, and though his name rarely makes headlines 
and though his hard work is seldom noticed in the public eye, the 
American people have benefited greatly from his extraordinary career.
  A proud son of northwest Indiana, John Sullivan was a lawyer by 
training, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, and served our Nation in 
the Judge Advocate General's Office of the Air Force. He went on to 
advise the House Armed Services Committee before joining the 
Parliamentarian's office. He would ultimately hold the title of 
Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives, a post occupied by 
only three others in the past 75 years. He has been a fair and 
independent voice, a professional of the highest caliber, a careful 
steward of the rules of the House, a true public servant.
  Mr. Speaker, as a point of personal pride, on June 2, 1987, I was 
sworn in as a result of a special election, and I was the first Member 
of Congress to take the oath of office during John's tenure. For many 
reasons, he will hold a long place of honor in the history of the 
House, and in my personal history as well.
  In a recent story on his career, John Sullivan summed up the key 
characteristics of his success. In his own words, he said, ``You have 
to be very attentive to every syllable being uttered and able to think 
on your feet,'' as the Speaker said.
  Attention to detail, quick thinking, staying attuned to the letter of 
the law, these were the hallmarks of John Sullivan's service. He has 
left a lasting legacy, and I am confident that his deputy and 
replacement, Tom Wickham, will continue in the same fine tradition.
  We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our Parliamentarians. We owe a 
special debt of gratitude and our heartfelt thanks on this day to our 
Parliamentarian, John Sullivan. He has earned the respect and the 
admiration of Members of Congress, and he will be missed. We wish him 
and his wife, Nancy, and his children our best wishes for their future 
endeavors.
  Congratulations and thank you, John Sullivan.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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