[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 85 (Thursday, June 7, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H3599-H3601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING SPEAKER PELOSI ON 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO CONGRESS

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House, all of us 
through our lives meet people, particularly when we were young--and I'm 
sure this happened to people who were with leaders of our country. 
Thomas Jefferson, a young man, I'm sure there were people who met 
Thomas Jefferson when he was 25 and they said to themselves, boy, this 
guy's really got his head in the clouds. And then he became one of the 
great people of democracies in our world.
  When I was 23 years of age, in 1962, I was working for a United 
States Senator whose name was Daniel Brewster from our State of 
Maryland. That summer, he hired as an intern a young woman--younger 
than me, but about my age--close--and we had the opportunity to get to 
know one another. We sat approximately 12 feet from one another as a 
young college graduate and a young law school student. That was 1962.
  Through the years, I stayed in Maryland, and that young woman got 
married and moved to California. Just a few years later, I came to the 
Congress of the United States, and 6 years later she came to the 
Congress of the United States, after having been the chairman of her 
party in the largest State in the Union, having been very much involved 
with the United States Senate, having been a leader in our country, not 
as a Member of Congress, but in her role as a significant party leader 
and a member of the Democratic National Committee.
  When Sala Burton died, herself a member of a distinguished political 
family, this young woman ran for Congress of the United States. Her 
father had served in the Congress of the United States, been a member 
of the Appropriations Committee, been mayor of Baltimore city, and been 
the father of a mayor of Baltimore city. How proud he would be of this 
young daughter he raised at his knee, not, frankly, as somewhat 
caricatured as a San Francisco, but as a Baltimore City pol--I say that 
with great affection--who knew how to put neighborhoods together, who 
knew how to take care of citizens in that city. That's where she 
learned her politics.
  As Thomas Jefferson had people who attacked him bitterly, she has had 
the same. We all have that in this game that we participate in that we 
care deeply about. That young woman that I first worked with in 1962 
became the highest-ranking woman in the history of our country in our 
government. And now we note--some celebrate, others note--her attaining 
of a quarter of a century of service in this body.

                              {time}  1410

  And all of us will be able to tell our grandchildren. I have my 
grandchildren now. Maybe I'll have more, but I have a number of them 
now, and a number of them are young women, and I tell them how proud 
they can be of the leadership and the trail that has been blazed by 
this extraordinary woman.
  I've talked to a number of you on the Republican side of the aisle, 
my good friend Roy Blunt, and he says to me, he said, Boy, that woman 
has a spine of steel. And that she does. Those of us who have dealt 
with her know that she's one of the strongest leaders any of us have 
served with, whether you agree with her or don't agree with her.
  So I rise, Mr. Speaker, to note this anniversary of 25 years of 
service of Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi, from the State of Maryland, the 
very proud State of Maryland, to have a daughter like Nancy, and a 
State that is proud of its citizen servant, Nancy Pelosi.
  Ladies and gentlemen, I now have the great honor of yielding to my 
friend. He's of a different party, but we're both Americans. We both 
love this institution, and he is now, himself, not quite as historic a 
figure because there have been many men who have been Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, but my friend, John Boehner, Speaker of the 
House.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Let me thank my friend, Mr. Hoyer, for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend our colleague, the gentlelady 
from California, on her 25 years of service to this institution. It's 
the latest in a series of milestones for the gentlelady from 
California.
  On January 4, 2007, I had the privilege of presenting Leader Pelosi 
the gavel when she became the first female Speaker of the House. But 
just as important as this anniversary is in and of itself, it also 
represents 25 years of commitment and service to this institution.
  Now, the gentlelady from California and I have differing political 
philosophies, and we've had some real battles here on the floor over 
the 22 years that I've served with her, but many of you know that the 
gentlelady and I have a very, very workable relationship and we get 
along with each other fine. We treat each other very nicely and 
actually have a warm relationship, because we all serve in this 
institution and we all have work to do to protect the institution and 
serve the institution. And I can tell all of my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle that I enjoy my relationship with her and enjoy our 
ability to work together.
  Now, it doesn't mean that we're going to agree on taxes or that we're 
going to agree on spending, but I know I speak for the whole House when 
I rise today to say to the gentlelady from California, Mrs. Pelosi, 
congratulations on 25 years of real service to this institution.
  Thank you.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back, the gentlelady from 
California would like me to yield, and I do so.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  In the political life that we have here and our service to the 
American people, I take great pride in always saying, when somebody 
says to me, Were you surprised when somebody did this, that, or this 
bill did that or that? I say, I'm hardly ever surprised in politics 
because I know what the possibilities are.
  I am thoroughly surprised today. I had absolutely no idea the 
mischief that Mr. Hoyer was up to, going back decades, I might add. But 
I thank him for his kind words, and all of you for your nice reception.
  I thank the Speaker for his gracious comments as well. While he was 
speaking, I was remembering, oh, my goodness, we're taking up time on 
the floor and it's personal and that. But then I was recalling that it 
wasn't that long ago when we--maybe 5, 6 years ago when we came to the 
floor to acknowledge that then-Speaker Hastert was

[[Page H3600]]

the longest serving Republican Speaker of the House and we made much 
ado about that landmark. So I comfortably accept your kind words, since 
we could observe that, and I think and I said, Long may his record 
stand, at that time.
  That passes for humor in certain circles.
  As the gentlemen were speaking, I was recalling when I was first 
Speaker and sitting in the chair to welcome the President of the United 
States to the Chamber for the first time, and it was President George 
W. Bush. President Bush surprised me that day, too, when he opened his 
remarks by saying to the gathered crowd that many Presidents had come 
to the Congress to speak to a joint session, but none of them had ever 
opened their remarks with these two words, ``Madam Speaker.''
  And he then went on to say that although my father had served in 
Congress with President Roosevelt and President Truman, and that was a 
tremendous honor for him, little would that compare to the idea that 
his, he said something like ``baby girl'' was sitting in the chair as 
Speaker of the House. That was an honor for me.
  His father honored me for my 25th anniversary, President George 
Herbert Walker Bush, on President's Day, by inviting me to speak to his 
library, the Bush library at Texas A&M. We recalled a time of civility 
in the Congress when he was President, and we had our disagreements, as 
the Speaker acknowledged we still do, but we did so with great 
civility, and that was what we talked about that day. I considered that 
a great honor.
  And I consider this a great honor to serve with each and every one of 
you, patriots all, representatives, independent representatives of your 
district. And that word has two meanings. It's your title. It's also 
our job description, that we represent our districts and bring the 
beautiful diversity of opinion, of ethnicity, of generations, of 
geography, of philosophy to the Congress of the United States. The 
beauty, I say in my district, is in the mix.
  While I'm very honored to have served as the Speaker of the House, 
first woman Speaker of the House, first Italian American Speaker of the 
House, first Maryland Speaker of the House, first California Speaker of 
the House, many firsts, it always is the greatest privilege of my life, 
as I'm sure it is with each of you, to step on the floor of the House 
to represent and speak for the people of each of our individual 
districts.
  So I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your kind words. While, as you said, 
we may not always agree on taxes, we did at one time when President 
Bush was President, and we worked together at that time on his stimulus 
package, which was tax-oriented. You remember that. And it was good for 
the country, and it was a good model for us to go forward.

                              {time}  1420

  It is an honor to serve with you as Speaker. While I with great joy 
accepted the gavel from you that first time, it wasn't so joyful to 
hand it back over. Nonetheless, it's all in the Chamber, and that's 
where we all serve for the American people.
  Steny, you don't know when and you don't know where, but one day--one 
day--I will repay this magnificent honor you have extended to me, which 
has taken me totally by surprise. Wait until I talk to my staff about 
this later.
  Steny Hoyer is a great patriot, a great Marylander, a great American, 
a great Member of Congress--a Member's Member, a person who respects 
every person he serves with.
  Steny Hoyer--and Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for everyone in the 
Chamber when I say--we are proud to call you a colleague.
  Thank you so much for this time.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, 5-minute voting will 
continue.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 241, 
noes 173, not voting 17, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 359]

                               AYES--241

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Alexander
     Amash
     Amodei
     Austria
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barletta
     Bartlett
     Bass (NH)
     Benishek
     Berg
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Bonner
     Bono Mack
     Boren
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Brooks
     Broun (GA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Buerkle
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canseco
     Cantor
     Capito
     Carter
     Cassidy
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Coffman (CO)
     Cole
     Conaway
     Cravaack
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Culberson
     Davis (KY)
     Denham
     Dent
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dold
     Donnelly (IN)
     Dreier
     Duffy
     Duncan (TN)
     Ellmers
     Emerson
     Farenthold
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Flake
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foxx
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Gohmert
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grimm
     Guinta
     Guthrie
     Hall
     Hanna
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Heck
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herrera Beutler
     Huelskamp
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Issa
     Jenkins
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Jordan
     Kelly
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kissell
     Kline
     Labrador
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Landry
     Lankford
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Latta
     LoBiondo
     Long
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lummis
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Mack
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Matheson
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McCotter
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     Meehan
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, Gary
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (PA)
     Myrick
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     Olson
     Owens
     Palazzo
     Paulsen
     Pearce
     Pence
     Petri
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe (TX)
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Quayle
     Reed
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rigell
     Rivera
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross (AR)
     Ross (FL)
     Royce
     Runyan
     Ryan (WI)
     Scalise
     Schilling
     Schmidt
     Schock
     Schweikert
     Scott (SC)
     Scott, Austin
     Sensenbrenner
     Sessions
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Southerland
     Stearns
     Stivers
     Stutzman
     Sullivan
     Terry
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tipton
     Turner (NY)
     Turner (OH)
     Upton
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walsh (IL)
     Webster
     West
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yoder
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Young (IN)

                               NOES--173

     Ackerman
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Baca
     Barrow
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Bishop (NY)
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boswell
     Brady (PA)
     Braley (IA)
     Brown (FL)
     Butterfield
     Capps
     Capuano
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Castor (FL)
     Chandler
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke (MI)
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly (VA)
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Critz
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Cummings
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     Deutch
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Engel
     Eshoo
     Farr
     Fattah
     Frank (MA)
     Fudge
     Garamendi
     Gonzalez
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hanabusa
     Hastings (FL)
     Heinrich
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hochul
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hoyer
     Israel
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson Lee (TX)
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kildee
     Kind
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lujan
     Lynch
     Maloney
     Markey
     Matsui
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Michaud
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Murphy (CT)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Olver
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Peterson
     Pingree (ME)
     Polis
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Richardson
     Richmond
     Rothman (NJ)
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schrader
     Schwartz
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Serrano
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sires
     Smith (WA)
     Speier
     Stark
     Sutton
     Thompson (CA)

[[Page H3601]]


     Thompson (MS)
     Tierney
     Tonko
     Towns
     Tsongas
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walz (MN)
     Wasserman Schultz
     Watt
     Waxman
     Welch
     Wilson (FL)
     Woolsey
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--17

     Akin
     Baldwin
     Barton (TX)
     Bass (CA)
     Berman
     Bilirakis
     Cardoza
     Coble
     Duncan (SC)
     Filner
     Kucinich
     Lewis (CA)
     Marino
     Paul
     Shuler
     Slaughter
     Waters

                              {time}  1427

  So the resolution was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated against:
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 358, I was away from the Capitol 
due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I 
would have voted ``no.''
  Stated for:
  Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 359, I was delayed and unable 
to vote. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye.''

                          ____________________