[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 142 (Wednesday, November 19, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S6142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING PHILIP CRANE

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. President, Illinois lost its longest-serving Member of 
the House of Representatives and this country lost one of the great 
leaders of the conservative movement last week when Philip Crane passed 
away at the age of 84.
  For 35 years Phil Crane represented Chicago's northwest suburbs, a 
region I know well. He was first elected to Congress in 1969, winning a 
special election, and ultimately became the longest-serving House 
Republican when he was finally defeated in 2004. While I served with 
Congressman Phil Crane in the House of only 4 years, our districts were 
adjacent to each other and together we fought for many issues important 
to suburban Chicago and Illinois.
  Before conservative principles were fashionable, Phil was leading the 
way for conservatism, working for Barry Goldwater in 1964 in Illinois. 
When some said Phil's politics of small government and low taxes were 
backward looking, he responded with gusto, arguing in support of free 
markets and trade, prudent economics policies, a strong national 
defense, and traditional values.
  Phil was courageous and had foresight. In 1976 he was the first 
sitting Congressman to publicly support Reagan in his effort to defeat 
President Gerald Ford. He also founded the Republican Study Committee, 
which still exists today in the House of Representatives. He also was 
deeply involved in the early days of two of the most influential 
conservative think tanks, the Heritage Foundation and the American 
Conservative Union.
  In 1980 Phil took a run for President, ultimately falling to Ronald 
Reagan. As a young House staffer, I noted that numerous Congressmen 
respected Phil for his early advocacy of conservative principles and 
his ties to the early days of the modern conservative movement. If you 
want to get a feel of Phil, then read his 1976 book ``The Sum of Good 
Government.''
  Phil Crane fought tirelessly as a senior member of the House Ways and 
Means Committee for his conservative principles, including for lower 
taxes and increasing trade. One of his greatest legislative 
achievements was the North American Free Trade Agreement, which created 
the world's largest free trade zone, linking up billions of dollars 
annually.
  With the passing of Phil Crane, Illinois and Washington have lost one 
of its greats. Thank you, Phil Crane, for your service to the State of 
Illinois and to our country.

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