[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 166 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H7298-H7304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO BARRY SULLIVAN
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). Under the
Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano) is recognized for 60 minutes as the
designee of the minority leader.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, tonight, several Members wanted to come to
the floor to discuss the retirement of a very good friend of ours who
deserves our recognition. Because there are so many people with busy
schedules, I am going to go right into it and yield to the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the minority whip.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Capuano represents a famous area of
America, south Boston, a wonderful area of our country.
As every Member of this House knows, we who serve here in the Chamber
rely on an outstanding group of professionals who manage the floor and
the party cloakrooms. This is true for both Democrats and Republicans.
On the Democratic side, we have been incredibly fortunate to have
been served with great ability by a devoted public servant with a
wonderful sense of humor, a sense of this House, a sense of history, a
sense of decency, and a sense of how to help Members greatly. He has
managed our cloakroom for the past 33 years.
That man, devoted to the smooth running of the people's House day in
and day out, is Barry Sullivan. As he prepares to retire from service,
I want to join not only those from Massachusetts who are justifiably
very proud of him as a brother from their own State, but also all of
those in the House on both sides of the aisle, but particularly on our
side of the aisle, who have been advantaged by his service, by his good
humor, and by his caring.
Barry, a native of south Boston, first came to Washington in 1980 to
work for the Sergeant at Arms as a doorkeeper. In 1987, Tip O'Neill
appointed him to manage the Democratic cloakroom, and he has been
reappointed ever since.
[[Page H7299]]
Barry had grown up around politics; and his father, Leo Sullivan, had
been a Massachusetts State senator and a Boston police commissioner. He
never thought he would stay in Washington for more than a couple of
years, but the call to serve this House and his country proved too
strong. His country and each of us and this institution have been
advantaged by his staying.
Barry brought a lot of Boston to the Capitol. He set up a desk in the
cloakroom that is very much a shrine to the Boston Red Sox and a place
of homecoming for Massachusetts Members. And every time our Members'
beepers would announce votes, it was Barry's mellifluous Boston accent
that came across the airwaves to tell us what was going on.
Even more so, Barry has made the cloakroom feel like a home, a home
away from home for all of us who serve here, and he will be missed
dearly and greatly by all who came to cherish his friendship and his
comradeship.
Barry, who sits on the floor with us, Mr. Speaker, we wish you all
the best in retirement, both to you and to your lovely bride, Barbara,
whom I had the opportunity of knowing very well almost as long as I
have known you. She was a special person and had a special connection
to this House because she was the daughter of our former colleague,
Bill Hughes of New Jersey. Bill Hughes represented the people of New
Jersey well, and I was honored to serve alongside him on the Financial
Services Committee for a while.
As the sunny shores of Cape Cod beckon him, we bid farewell to an
extraordinary public servant whose legacy will continue to be felt in
the Halls of Congress both on and off this floor for many years to
come.
Barry, thank you and Godspeed.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Neal), the dean of the Massachusetts delegation.
Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mike Capuano for organizing
this event on behalf of Barry Sullivan.
Barry Sullivan is a reminder of the men and women who serve this
institution day in and day out to make sure that it runs as efficiently
as it possibly can.
We depend very much here on accurate data and accurate information;
and to call Barry Sullivan at any time of the day or night, you could
depend on getting the best information that was available at that
moment.
Beyond that, he was an individual of great humor. He had the ability
to laugh at himself. He had the ability to chuckle with all of us. I
recall with some humor one day that he was in a great state of duress,
and that was that he had only been able to deliver one blueberry muffin
to Chairman Moakley. Chairman Moakley wanted two blueberry muffins, or
as he would say at the time, Chairman Moakley wanted two blueberry
muffins. I saw Barry in the hall, and I said, What have we got going
today? He said, I don't know, but I am getting that second blueberry
muffin if I get nothing else accomplished.
It is these individuals that day in and day out make us look good
here. That is the reminder. They oversee a very complex process in that
cloakroom of trying to adhere to the rules of the House and at the same
time making sure that the Members of Congress are well positioned not
only in terms of time, but in terms of time management.
Barry welcomed me here in 1988. He is one of the first people I met.
There was Brian Donnelly and Joe Early and a number of others in the
Massachusetts delegation. Nick Marvroules, Gerry Studds, and others
come to mind. Of course, there was Barney and members of our
delegation. We were always very proud of Barry Sullivan, and I thought
that one of his great champions here had been Brian Donnelly in those
years. That is how we got to know Barry as well as we did.
I wish him well. I also would say that we can take great confidence
from the fact that he was a student of this institution. He held the
highest regard for it. He was an acolyte of Tip O'Neill and Joe
Moakley, who revered service in this institution.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut
(Mr. Larson), a former head of the Democratic Caucus.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mike Capuano
for organizing this Special Order. Both Steny and Rich have said it
well.
Everything that is rich about public service is embodied in the
service provided by Barry Sullivan. As Rich pointed out, to have come
here with Tip O'Neill and Joe Moakley puts you in the pantheon of stars
in New England. I point out to Mr. Capuano that Rich Neal is not only
the dean of the Massachusetts delegation; he is the dean of the New
England delegation, as well.
Barry Sullivan is New England through and through. He is Irish. He is
Catholic. He is the Red Sox. He is the Celtics. He is the Bruins. He is
the Patriots. He gets us through the day.
My first encounter with him came over in the Pennsylvania corner
where he would be summoned on a regular basis. I thought for a while he
was Jack Murtha's personal valet. I did not realize that there was one
of those little white buttons that they press. But automatically, Barry
would appear out of the backroom and immediately assure Mr. Murtha that
things were all right, how things would be done for the day, what time
we would get out of here, et cetera. All of the essentials that Members
need.
The wonderful thing about Barry, his three sons, and Barbara is that
they epitomize class. He is such a gentleman, even among the most tense
of situations, he is there for all of us--most notably to remind you
that you forgot to vote, to stick your card in, and adhere to the rules
of the floor here. It is that class and the professionalism that he
brings to the job.
The elevation of public service is something that another man from
Massachusetts provided to all of us. To elevate public life, whether as
an elected official or whether in the service of your country, whether
it is being a Clerk in this House, whether it is running the Democratic
Caucus, or whether it is being in the Peace Corps, John Fitzgerald
Kennedy made it elevated, the whole notion of public service. Barry,
you exemplify the nobility that Kennedy ushered in and gave credence to
a life of public service.
Well done, a son of Boston, a son of Ireland, and, of course, a Red
Sox fan. God bless you, Barry, and your entire family.
{time} 1800
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Keating) will control the remainder of the hour.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I will now yield to the nominal
representative of Mr. Sullivan, who will be joining countless people,
as we have already seen from representatives from Maryland,
representatives we will hear from from Vermont and New York and
California and New Jersey, all envious of being associated with
Massachusetts officials and Mr. Sullivan.
We understand their humility, and in that humility I would like to
yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).
Mr. CONNOLLY. I thank my colleague.
When I first heard that Barry Sullivan was retiring, my reaction was,
Say it ain't so.
I have been in this body for 5 years, and one of the first people I
met in orientation was Barry Sullivan. And as a son of Boston myself,
as an Irish Catholic myself, as somebody whose family vacations in Cape
Code periodically, in Falmouth, where Barry also vacations, I felt I
was at home. I felt that there was a human face to this institution who
cared about it passionately, who had ties to Tip O'Neill and Joe
Moakley, two great heroes in my family's household back in Boston.
I think Barry has provided incredible service to the people's body,
to this House, and has tried to ease stress, has tried to make our
lives more comfortable. I cannot imagine what we are all going to do
when our pager goes off and we don't hear that Boston staccato: There
will be four votes; this is the last series of the day. That is Barry
Sullivan. And if you come from New England, those are comforting tones.
Barry has contributed 33 years to this institution. I don't think he
ever lost a sense of reverence for what this institution is all about;
and I think, in showing that reverence, he reminds those of us who hold
elective office here just how privileged we are to serve in the
people's body. He never lost
[[Page H7300]]
sight of that, and I hope none of us will either.
Barry, I think that is your lasting legacy. Thank you to you and your
wonderful wife, Barbara, and your three kids. Enjoy retirement. God
bless.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce now for comments
about Mr. Sullivan a person who shared the same mentor in many
respects, a person that we all admire so greatly, that is the late
Congressman Joseph Moakley, I would like to yield to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).
Mr. McGOVERN. I want to thank my colleague from Massachusetts.
It is a real privilege to be here with my colleagues to honor Barry
Sullivan. And when I heard about his retirement, I couldn't help but
think that this is the end of an era.
As my colleague Bill Keating mentioned, both Barry and I came here
under the mentorship of a great man, Joe Moakley, who understood what
public service meant in the best tradition. And I think one of the
things that I admire about Barry is that he has been a public servant
in the highest tradition. He has been the go-to guy for everything and
anything.
You know, a lot of people don't understand who don't work here about
all the people who kind of work behind the scenes, who work longer
hours than we do, and Barry is amongst that group of people, always
here, early mornings, late nights, separated from his family at times
when we couldn't get our act together here in the Congress. He has just
been incredible.
So we are going to miss you, Barry, for a whole bunch of reasons, and
I am going to miss you also because of your friendship. You and Barbara
have been great friends to Lisa and me. You have given us advice on how
to raise our kids and where to send them to school, and we appreciate
that very, very much.
But I want you to know that there are so many of us here who have
high regard for you and who value your service and your friendship. And
I will just close by saying that I am grateful, but I want you to know
that we are going to be friends for life.
Mr. KEATING. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. Sullivan has had this position as manager of the Cloakroom on the
Democratic side since 1987, and he has served different leaders in that
capacity. I am sure one of the highlights of his career has been having
that position when history was changed and we had our first woman who
was Speaker of the House.
I would like to yield to our esteemed leader from California (Ms.
Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Thank you, Mr. Keating. I thank you for yielding. I thank
you and Mr. Capuano and the members of the Massachusetts delegation for
bringing us together to honor a wonderful friend to all of us.
Mr. Speaker, in late 1979, the legendary Congressman Joseph Moakley,
a colleague to many of us who had the privilege to call him
``colleague,'' ran into the son of a friend and former colleague, Leo
Sullivan, in Boston. He knew that the young Boston State College
student had served as a page on Beacon Hill and had an interest in
public service. He suggested that it was time for this young man to
travel to our Nation's Capital to serve in Congress, led by another
Massachusetts legend, Speaker Tip O'Neill. That young man was and is
Barry Sullivan.
When he arrived in Washington the following March, he thought he
would spend just a few years here before returning to his beloved South
Boston. Thirty-three years later, he will finally leave his post in the
Democratic Cloakroom, an institution in its own right, a source of
information for Members. He leaves as a committed public servant to the
Congress and to our country.
As one of Barry's former colleagues once said, ``Down here, Members
are looking for somebody who knows what's going on.'' And Barry always
knew. He was the trusted source, has been the trusted source, of what
was happening on the floor, what bill was up for a vote, what issues
Members were tackling on any given day. Barry always knew what was
going on, in addition to the floor agenda, what was important for
Members to know.
Public service is in his blood, as the son of one of the central
players of the mid-20th century in Massachusetts State government. So
prominent was Barry's father, Leo, in local politics, that he escorted
then-President-elect John Kennedy from Logan Airport to the Boston
Garden on election night, 1960, a great honor for a great Massachusetts
leader and family.
Barry would come here and be escorting Presidents, Prime Ministers
and Kings over and over again, and he did so with grace and commanding
respect.
Boston is in his blood. As a proud native of South Boston, a devoted
Red Sox fan--did I say that they won the World Series? But of course
everybody knows that.
Okay. You can cheer for Barry as well as for the Red Sox, okay? I was
at the game. All right.
A devoted Red Sox fan, I repeat, a father and husband who takes his
family back to his hometown and to Cape Cod every year without fail.
And now, with his career in the Capitol coming to a close, we all know
that Barry looks forward to spending as much time as he can on the Cape
with his beloved wife, Barbara, and their three sons.
Barry Sullivan has been an integral part of our team and our system.
He has been a clearinghouse of information from his first day in the
Cloakroom to his last, as the man in charge. His service has proven
invaluable. His contributions have been incredible, just remarkable. He
gives you the answer before you ask the question. He anticipates our
every need.
To Barbara and the whole Sullivan family, thank you for sharing your
husband and father with the United States Congress for so long.
To Barry, you have earned the respect of Members of Congress and the
gratitude of countless Members of Congress who have served in this
Chamber. Thank you for taking a chance, for coming to Washington to
serve Tip, at the invitation of Joe Moakley--what legends--and for
serving us all with grace, good humor, and dedication throughout your
tenure in the House of Representatives; though you are leaving us on a
day-to-day basis, I hope you will be no stranger to us and that you
will return on many occasions.
Thank you, Barry Sullivan.
Mr. KEATING. Thank you, Madam Leader.
We all know that it is no secret that in this House there are often
great divisions, and probably the most profound schism that exists in
this House is between Red Sox fans and Yankee fans. But to show you the
esteem that Mr. Sullivan has held with our Members, I have the
privilege of yielding whatever time he may consume to the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Serrano).
Mr. SERRANO. I thank the gentleman. And you are correct. You stuffed
my first line.
I live a few blocks away from Yankee Stadium, and so, for a Yankee
fan to honor a Red Sox fan shows the kind of love and respect that I
have for him. I don't know if I will survive or be able to sleep
tonight, but I will say congratulations, Barry, on the Red Sox winning
the World Series.
You notice that didn't come out too well, but it is not that easy.
Barry Sullivan. When I first came here and I found out that Barry
Sullivan was running the Cloakroom, I expected to see Barry Sullivan,
the movie star of the 1940s in the black-and-white movies. Instead, I
found a class act and a person who really cared about the membership.
And that is what is important, that he always took care of the
membership.
One of the things that always amazed me about Barry was his ability
to put up with us. After all, how many times does a person get to
answer the same question 200 times in a row to the same people?
When are we getting out tonight, Barry?
When do you think votes will end?
Do I have time to go to dinner?
Well, Mr. Serrano, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and he would do it.
And then you would show up and you would show up and he would do it. By
the third time, I would have told everybody to come in the Cloakroom
and I will make one speech to everybody, and then you can all get out
of here and leave me alone. But there was always that ability for him
to understand the needs we had, the information we needed, and the fact
that he provided that for us.
[[Page H7301]]
But he also had a sense of humor. I gave him a hard time for so long.
I have been here 23 years, and I had running lines with him. One of
them, walking into the Cloakroom, was, Are the Red Sox still in the
league? That was one of the ones. The other one was, What is the
loudest noise in September? And he would actually go along with it and
say, What? I would say, The Red Sox falling apart. And this went on and
on and on.
But through it all, Barry, you showed more than just being a sports
fan, you showed that you were a class human being, that you were a
person who cared, a person who cared in terms of how we got here. I
think you, as much as anyone else, understood that none of us get
appointed here, that we have to go beg in front of a Legion hall or in
front of a subway station or in front of a supermarket for a vote, and
you understood that, and that is how you treated us, and that is how I
think we treated you.
You were the one who told us if there were peanuts coming to that
basket in front of you when we were looking for peanuts or chocolate or
whatever. You were the person who made sure everything ran well, and I
am going to miss you. I am really going to miss you, because I think
you are one of the classiest acts around here. I hope you stay in
touch. And I will just end this way. We have in Spanish--and I will
apologize to the stenographer, and I will translate it later.
We have a saying in Spanish: Dime con quien andas y te dire quien
eres.
(English translation of the above statement is as follows:)
Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are.
We walk with you. We are you. Let's hope that we have learned from
you how to be as classy and as humane as you have been for so many
years.
Thank you, Barry.
{time} 1815
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield now to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Keating) who represents the town of Falmouth, the
Member who, I guess, will represent Barry in different ways, possibly
officially at some point.
General Leave
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, after the kind words of the gentleman from
New York, I just want to say, after hearing him pay tribute to Mr.
Sullivan, I just will tell you that I do hope that the Yankees sign
Robinson Cano, and I hope they go way over the luxury tax threshold to
do it.
Mr. Speaker, just briefly, I want to tell you, when I came to this
House not knowing much, I asked for advice from a lot of people, and I
can't tell you how many people told me, Just seek out Barry Sullivan
for whatever you need, whether it is a personal need, whether it is the
knowledge of the city, whether it is the knowledge of legislative
practice, whether it is the knowledge of what to do in the formal or
informal structure. They all told me to seek out Barry Sullivan. I will
tell you that no better advice was ever given to me.
I want to congratulate him on his 33 years, and I want to say that it
has been an amazing career because, as the leadership has changed over
his 87 years, he has maintained that position despite who was in the
Democratic leadership, and that is a tribute to the job that he does.
I also have felt a kinship with him as I began to know a little bit
about him. I saw that we have a lot in common. He comes from a police
family. His father was police commissioner. My father was a police
officer. My brother was a police officer. His father was a State
senator, and I served in the State senate for part of that time,
representing the city of Boston as well.
We both shared the great privilege of having a mentor. Joe Moakley
was the Congressman in my district in my days when I was in the State
legislature, and I called upon him time and time again for advice. I
realize that both Barry Sullivan and I profited greatly from that
knowledge, not only of the institutional knowledge that he had but the
good character and type of person that Joe Moakley was.
Barry and I both had an early interest in politics. We both studied
and majored in political science when we were in college. Even our own
sons went to the same college of St. Joe's, and we both paid those
tuition figures to have that occur.
A lot of people will be saying good-bye to Barry, and they will be
saying that they are sorry they won't be seeing him as much. I think I
am probably in the minority, where I will be able to say, I probably
will see you more because I am sure that as he has more time to spend
on his own to recreate, to be with his family, I am going to see him on
the beaches in Falmouth Heights. I am going to see him fishing. I am
going to see him watching the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod
league, enjoying probably one of the best places in the world to retire
to.
I just want to wish him well. I wish Barbara well. Good health. Enjoy
those years. And thank you, Mr. Sullivan, for a job well done.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), another Member with a special relationship
with Mr. Sullivan.
Mr. ANDREWS. I thank my friend for yielding.
With a sense of real mixed emotions, I join this discussion tonight,
certainly with gratitude and pride for Barry's 33 years of service but
also for a real sense of regret that he will not be a part of our
everyday lives and work the way he has been for all these years.
The House is very often a very chaotic and noisy place. The bell
rings, and hundreds of people descend upon the floor. They all have
their demands. They all have their ideas. They all have their needs. In
that sea of chaos, you look for a person who stands tall and strong and
is unflappable no matter what. Barry, for all of us, for all those
years, you have been one of those people.
Nothing flusters Barry Sullivan. There is no problem too great. There
is no controversy too bitter. He is always the same optimistic,
friendly, honest, cheerful, strong person, no matter what. And your
strength has been an inspiration to all of us.
When you know from whence Barry comes, his strength is easy to
understand. I did not have the privilege of sharing the heritage that
he has from Boston, but I know his family very, very well. I know that
his beloved father-in-law, former Representative Bill Hughes,
Ambassador Bill Hughes, served here. Perhaps his greatest gift was
Barbara. I think that is probably the reason Barry stayed in
Washington, because he met her, and they started a beautiful life
together. They have three wonderful sons that they have educated and
raised, and I have the privilege of working with his son Brendan, who
is here with us tonight, representing the people of our First
Congressional District of New Jersey.
So, Barry, nothing you do surprises us because of your inner strength
and your qualities and your optimism.
The one thing about Barry that did surprise me, however, was that he
did not start growing his beard in the middle of the summer and let it
go until the end of the World Series, like his beloved Red Sox. There
was some discussion that he might do that.
But I do admire the fact that he was nice to everyone--even to the
Yankees fans, as Mr. Serrano just said. He showed real equanimity.
Barry, on behalf of our country, our party, my constituents, and my
family, we thank you for your strength and your goodness and your
inspiration. We know we will see you many times in the future. We wish
you Godspeed. Congratulations.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr.
Welch).
Mr. WELCH. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Barry, we are going to miss you. Everyone has been rightly singing
your praises.
I will tell you the couple of things I noticed right away. When I
came, it was 2007. Many of the Members who have spoken have been here
many years longer. When you went into the cloakroom, you were treated
like you had been here forever. Everybody was treated the same. The
goodwill, the good sense of humor, the good judgment, the sense that we
are all part of
[[Page H7302]]
something larger than ourselves--that was something that Barry really
conveyed.
The other thing I noticed, we used to have pages here. Remember that?
We had these young people full of hopes and dreams about how they could
make a contribution in this country, how they could make this a better
country, how they could be better people.
Barry, it was amazing to watch you with those kids because you had to
get them organized. They had to learn all of our names. They would be
sitting there in the cloakroom studying the Congressional Pictorial,
and these young kids from all over the country would be coming up, and
they would be saying hi to Mr. Miller, to Mr. Welch, to Mr. Capuano,
and it was such a reassuring observation, such a wonderful scene there
where these kids--boys and girls--felt that they had a big job in a big
institution. You could see them getting excited about public service,
and you could see them taking seriously the responsibilities that go
along with it, which at that moment, for them, was learning the names
and matching them to the faces of the people who were here.
Barry, you were a great teacher. It wasn't just that they got our
names right. It was that you inspired them to find in themselves the
discipline and the strength to take that next step and to aspire to
achieve their dreams.
It is a life well lived when you can treat the people in it with love
and respect, when you can commit yourself to the building of an
institution, that you can help leave it behind in better shape than you
found it.
So, Barry, for all of us who served with you, seeing all the good
deeds you have done for so many, thank you very much.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Higgins).
Mr. HIGGINS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Also, I want to say that as a freshman Member here several years ago,
Barry made me feel very special, and I thought that it had to do with
the fact that I was from a place called south Buffalo, which is very
much like South Boston but without the edge or the accent.
This favorite son of South Boston defined this institution with a
sense of order, most certainly, but with a sense of pride and purpose
and humor as well. An avid Boston Red Sox fan and Boston Bruins fan,
and just an all-around wonderful person who made everyone here,
hundreds of Members that have served, feel very special, as you did
that first day that I arrived.
So, Barry, I thank you, as a Member of this House, and I want to
commend you for your years of service and wish you well in the years
ahead of you.
Mr. CAPUANO. I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller).
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding
and thank him for organizing this tribute to Barry and, I think, to his
family, because we know the time he takes away from them on our behalf
for his service here.
I am one of the few people who can say that I was here before you
were, Barry, but I thought everybody here was from Boston or something
like that when I first got here from the west coast.
I want to join my colleagues here. I think we all have very strong
and deep feelings about the service you have rendered to us. Sometimes
when we were pleasant, and sometimes when we weren't so pleasant,
sometimes when we were harried, and sometimes when we were relaxed, you
always seemed to be very stable in terms of the answers that you could
provide us, even when you couldn't possibly know the answer to the
question, ``When are we getting out?'' You would just kind of look and
say, Well, and you would give your best guesstimate because you didn't
have a clue what was going to take place on the floor, given the
turmoil that happens from time to time. But it was more than just about
getting out; I think it was also an assessment, your sense of what was
really taking place on the floor. Yes, there were 50 amendments filed,
but you had a handicap system. You figured 30 were going to go by the
wayside by noon. Another five would drop out later. You heard somebody
else might have been leaving. So now we are down to a handful of
manageable amendments. So don't give up your early reservation. That
kind of handicapping was worth a lot when you come from the west coast
and you have got to do it every week. So thank you for that.
Your service here overall to us, the dignity with which you have
treated the Members of Congress--as I say, sometimes we can be rather
demanding because we are harried. It has just been a wonderful,
wonderful relationship to have you on our side in our cloakroom, taking
care of us and answering questions from our families when they call and
want to know what might they expect in terms of our service and our
time here.
I think Joe Moakley picked a good guy. He did right by you, and you
did right by us. And I just want to thank you.
I want to join Mr. Welch also. I was a big fan of the experience that
the pages were able to garner here, and all of us have met people who
were pages who now live in our districts and remember that experience,
or it was key to their actions, and it was unfortunate that we weren't
able to hold onto that program. But your management, your care, and
your kind remarks to them sometimes when they were being youthful and
exuberant about something that may be taking place, to remind them what
was going on in the House, I think, was one of the lessons of their
lives that they will never forget. So thank you very much for that
management and oversight of those young people who have gone on in so
many instances to make major, major contributions in our communities
and in our country. Thank you so much for your service.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Ryan).
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Barry, I just want to say that there have been a lot of kind words
here tonight, and I think a lot of the words are very appropriate, but
I have got to say, I don't even like you.
You are full of bad news all the time. We want to go home. You won't
let us. We want to come in later. You won't let us. We want to go home
a day early. You won't let us. Barbara, I don't know how you put up
with him.
As a young boy, I used to go to church with my grandfather. He was an
usher at the church. He wasn't the priest. He wasn't the head of the
parish council. But he was the guy who made everything run. He helped
run the festival. He was the top usher, so he had to handle all the
money. He scheduled everybody. I grew up really watching him with an
appreciation of how many people that you may not see in that instance
on the altar or here speaking on the floor, how many people work to
make things happen.
{time} 1830
Barry is in that cloakroom making things happen, making things run
smoothly; not in the newspaper, not getting the headlines. And I just
want to say thanks.
I worked for a Member of Congress 20 years ago, and he had the old
things you used to have to slide on. It was huge, it seemed like, back
then, and I remember as a staffer hearing Barry's voice, and I knew it
was Barry. I just heard this voice, Two bells, three bells, four bells,
15 minutes, 5 minutes. For 2 years, I would hear that.
Then, when I finally became a Member and I got my little clip and I
started hearing that voice and I got to meet Barry, it was like I
thought I had made it. I get to respond to what Barry has been telling
people to do for so many years. It was a great honor.
Then-Minority Leader Pelosi started the 30-Something Working Group
with Kendrick Meek and Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other Members, and
I would come to the floor sometimes two or three nights during the week
and stay very late--sometimes until 10 or 11. And I knew Barry was
here, slogging away. He would say, Are you going to go tonight, Mr.
Ryan? Yes. Sorry, Barry. He would sit in that room and wait until that
was done. But that is the kind of dedication that you had.
We love you. You are the best. Always with a smile and something nice
to say, no matter how bad the situation got or how tough things were.
Barbara, thank you. I know there are a lot of late nights here.
[[Page H7303]]
Barry, you are the best. Have a great retirement.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Boston
(Mr. Lynch).
Mr. LYNCH. I want to thank my friend, Mr. Capuano, for reserving this
time on our behalf to recognize our great friend.
Mr. Speaker, Barry Sullivan has been here a long time.
I know that the title ``cloakroom manager'' has a rather antiquated
sound to it. As a matter of fact, there is a rumor around here that
Barry Sullivan actually was the manager of the cloakroom back when they
still wore cloaks.
I am not sure he has been here that long, but I do know the beginning
of his service started with marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade in
South Boston with Joe Moakley, our dear departed friend. Now, after 33
years, our friend has decided to retire from his position. I think it
is a truly bittersweet moment for a lot of us.
Barry has been an extension of our staffs. I will miss the daily
contact that I have with Barry, because most of the time he is
reminding me to make all the votes. But he is also an extension of our
families, in many ways. So many of us travel back and forth from our
home districts--mine, in South Boston, and around the city of Boston--
back here to Washington. And Barry is an extension of that.
I have had the good fortune to call Barry my friend since I arrived
here in Washington, D.C., shortly after the attacks on September 11. I
came in in a special election. I was the only Democrat elected at that
time. I was given one bit of advice by my friends. They said, Make sure
you get to know Barry Sullivan in the cloakroom. That is some of the
best advice that I have ever received in coming here.
Barry may not know it, but to a new Member of Congress, his
assistance is immeasurable, especially when you are first getting used
to understanding the rhythm here in Washington, D.C., and the
importance of the whole process here.
Barry has been in D.C. all these years now--at least 33 years--but he
has never lost his connection to his hometown of South Boston. As a
matter of fact, Barry may not know this, but he is actually still
voting in South Boston each and every election. There is an old South
Boston rule that if someone moves away or even if they pass away, as
long as you know how that person would have voted, you are allowed to
vote on their behalf.
I am actually kidding on that.
Barry has never lost his connection to his local community in South
Boston, as well as his love for Cape Cod. A true son of South Boston,
Barry and his family still make their annual trip to Falmouth,
Massachusetts. Of course, they always stop at Sullivan's at Castle
Island for a couple of hot dogs.
While there is no doubt that Barry loves to get back to the Cape,
there was always the rumor that Barry traveled back home simply to work
on his Boston accent. While I may have had trouble when I first got
here in talking to some of our colleagues from the Deep South, I never
needed an interpreter to talk to my friend Barry.
I still remember how proud we were back in 2007, standing right in
this Chamber, in this aisle, at the State of the Union address. It was
Barry Sullivan who made the announcement: Mr. Speaker, the President of
the United States. While most of the country didn't know what he was
saying, a lot of people back in South Boston in our district were very,
very proud of that moment. The phone was ringing off the hook.
Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of Members here who are the face of the
Congress. We are up here at the microphone on a continual basis,
sometimes much to the chagrin of the people we represent, but behind
the scenes it is people like Barry Sullivan who make things work. His
manner and respectful way of dealing with everyone, whether it was a
page, the Speaker of the House, or whether it is a Democrat--he's even
nice to the Republicans. I think it helps the camaraderie and the way
this body works, and I think it goes beyond what people would
rightfully expect. Barry conducted his job with that level of respect
and dignity and efficiency in guiding us in our jobs and in our
responsibilities.
On a personal level, I am proud to call Barry a friend. I have also
come to know his wife, Barbara--Saint Barbara, we call her--and his
sons Barry, Brendan, and Brian.
We do regret that he has decided to move on to other endeavors.
I just want to say that the job that you have done here, Barry, and
the dignity and professionalism that you have lent to this Congress and
to your country is something that we are enormously proud of. I cannot
think of a better compliment and recognition of a job well done. You
have been a blessing to this Congress--both sides of the aisle--and to
your country.
Barry, we all wish you well in your future endeavors. We wish the
best for Barbara, your sons, and your family. I thank you for all the
kindness you have shown towards me and towards all the other Members
and their families during our times in this Congress.
God bless you and thank you. Godspeed.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey
(Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. Michael, thank you for putting this together tonight.
I come tonight not only to talk about Barry, but to talk about all
the staff. Please understand what I am saying tonight. If you feel that
there is an injection in my words of politics, so be it.
First of all, I never understood what Barry said at any time, so it
is not a question of having a translation.
Thank you for your service to your country and thank you for your
service to this Congress--every Congressperson. The entire membership
has been so fortunate to have you here.
You know what I mean when I say Barry, Location, location, location.
You were right: you fit, and you did what you said you were going to
do.
I do not speak to you in terms of your title, because titles come and
go. I speak to your character. You are a person of character. Your word
is always your bond.
We joked and we kibitzed back and forth. We joked about sports. We
joked about life. You are an example for all of us, as you move
forward. And you may be on--as some might say--the down side of the
mountain, but you are really not.
I say this to all the staff members.
I have been here for close to 17 years, and Barry, you are leaving at
a time of most interest to me, since I always made it a habit, whether
I was a teacher or whether I was in the mayor's office, whatever, to
talk to everybody--the secretary, the administrator, the young lady on
the elevator, the maintenance man, the guy who took care of the boiler.
When I was the mayor, in the middle of the winter, the temperature in
the council chambers was 80 degrees. I would tell him to go down and
stoke the fire and make it so hot so we could get the meeting over
with.
You have got to know who to talk to. You don't talk to the mayor, you
don't talk to the superintendent of the schools, you don't talk to the
Speaker. You talk to the Barry's of this world that make the place run.
If you don't learn that, then you are in for a sad awakening when you
get here.
Public servants have been maligned in this very institution. Public
servants have not been appreciated. I want to speak--and I have done it
many times on this floor, Barry--for public servants. They can speak
for themselves. I guess I am a public servant, too.
But the disrespect shown, with a pat on the back and then a spit in
your eye, doesn't belong here, because if we are really grateful for
what you do, Mr. Barry, Mr. Police Officer, Mr. Firefighter, Mr.
Teacher, Mr. Congressman, if we really appreciate it, we are straight
with you. We respect you. We want to make sure you get fair
compensation for your pay so you don't have to feel like you have your
hat out.
You have raised this institution. You have made it a better place--
all of you.
So, Mr. Speaker, to go back to those who aren't here right now, I
will tell them that when we lose the appreciation for the staff people
who serve every day, serve our country every day, we are the worse for
it, not the better.
Barry, I have never heard an evil word spoken about you because there
was nothing to say of negativity. Thank you for who you are. I hope I
see you again. You have made an impression on all of us.
God bless you, and God bless your beautiful family. God bless
America.
[[Page H7304]]
Mr. CAPUANO. Thank you, Mr. Pascrell.
Barry, I wanted to save this until last because, honestly, stuff
about life is just stuff. It is all interesting.
You have had an interesting life. Great. For me, I wanted to do this
because I consider you a friend, and I don't make friends that easily.
I make a lot of acquaintances. I don't consider a lot of people close
friends.
{time} 1845
To me, friendship is based on whether I think somebody will go
through the fire for me like I would go through the fire for them. My
judgment on you is that you would. It has a lot to do with the way you
were raised. I don't know much about it, but I do. When you were raised
in South Boston, I was being raised in Somerville. There was only one
place in the world tougher than South Boston at that time, and that was
Somerville.
I will tell you that an awful lot of people come out of those
situations bitter, with a lot of difficulties, not knowing what to do
and angry at the world. A lot of good people come out of it, though,
just the opposite--understanding, okay, life can be tough; life isn't
fair; make the best of it you can. It is better to go through life with
a smile and take yourself a little less seriously than it is to be
bitter. You have done that. You have done it with grace. To me, that
means an awful lot.
I will tell you that it was always comforting for me to hear the
voice on the machine. I think it is a joke. I think it is hilarious. I
have actually enjoyed having to catch you up on your proper
pronunciation of words. I love the fact that your friends at home
called you and told you that the word ``speaker'' isn't spoken the way
you have got it. It has been twisted after all of these years. You have
got to get it right. Get back up to Boston, and get it straight. I
think that is great.
I will tell you that, for me, the relationship started before I even
knew it, and that was at St. John's Prep. You are the only person I
know who went there besides me. The only difference between you and me
is you finished it, and I got kicked out, but in those days--and I have
no idea. I never asked why you were there. I know why I was there. I
was there to be plucked out of a difficult situation with the hope that
things would go a different way. Now, of course, you couldn't take the
Somerville out of me, and it didn't quite work out the way my parents
had thought it might. The Xaverian brothers mostly were from Somerville
at the time, and their beatings were nothing to me--just natural life.
But, to me, that tells me something--you had it right from the
beginning. You had a good upbringing. You treat people with respect.
You understand the needs of the Members here, and you treat us like
human beings. To me, that is more important than anything else. For me,
that friendship doesn't go away.
I hate the fact that you are retiring. I hate it. I hate it because I
don't take change too well. I like certain, stable things in my life. I
love Stephen Lynch, but I hate the fact that Joe Moakley is not with us
anymore. I know that life changes, and I know and I hope to God that
you have a great retirement. I hope you enjoy yourself. I hope you
learn to say your wife's name properly. My wife is also a ``Barbara,''
and there are no ``ah's'' in there. You don't need that letter. It is
an extra letter. Just get rid of it.
I hope you have a great retirement. I hope you realize that you are
always, always, always going to have friends here. I don't care where I
am or where you are. If there is ever anything I can do to help you or
your family or if there is anything I can do to ever help--I don't even
have to say it because I know you know it. It is what we do. It is what
we enjoy doing.
You are my friend. I don't come to this well very often, as you well
know. It is a unique experience for me. I think most of what is said
here is insincere and read off papers. I just wanted to take a minute
to sincerely tell you that I have enjoyed our relationship. I consider
you a good friend, and I wish you the best of life wherever you go,
whatever you do. It has been a joy working with you, and I am proud of
the fact that I can call you a friend.
Thank you for your service, Barry. Thank you for your friendship.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________