[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H8937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   MOURNING THE LOSS OF JUDY BAAR TOPINKA, ILLINOIS STATE COMPTROLLER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Rodney Davis) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today, my home State of 
Illinois mourns the loss of a great friend and a great leader, our 
State comptroller, Judy Baar Topinka.
  I awoke this morning to my phone buzzing incessantly, and I was sad 
to pick up that phone and hear the news that my friend passed away 
unexpectedly early this morning. Illinois has lost a great leader.
  Judy was somebody who was an institution in Republican politics in my 
home State. She was the most gregarious politician I have ever met in 
my life. Judy was somebody who made everyone feel at ease walking 
through the State capitol in Illinois. I am proud to represent that 
State capitol now in Springfield, and it is going to be a sad day to 
walk into that capitol and not see Judy.
  Mr. Speaker, Judy was somebody who knew no strangers. If she met you, 
whether you were standing out in front of the capitol building guarding 
the door or if you were the Governor of the State of Illinois, she 
treated you the exact same way.
  She is somebody who inspired me to get into this arena of public 
service. As a young candidate for State representative in 1996, I had 
the opportunity to have many people tell me that I shouldn't run, but I 
had Judy Baar Topinka to thank for encouraging me to go for it. I lost 
that race, but I made so many friends like Judy.
  Judy came to my hometown of Taylorville to do some campaign events 
with me one day. It was summer. It was a long day of events, and Judy 
went to my house to lay down and rest for a bit. I had a 1-year-old 
Boston terrier bulldog who decided that he really liked Judy.
  He jumped up on that couch and started kissing her in the only way 
that my dog knew how. He went right to her face. Instead of helping 
Judy, we took pictures. Since that day, every single time I have seen 
Judy Baar Topinka, she asks me about that dog. In 2012, when my dog 
Bruiser passed away, Judy was actually sad when I broke the news.
  Illinois is going to lose not just my friend, but we lose our 
comptroller who was just reelected. Illinois mourns the loss of Judy, 
and I stand here today--with no intention of coming to the House 
floor--to talk about my friend. I mourn the loss of my friend.
  Illinois will never be the same without Judy Baar Topinka, and 
America will never be the same without leaders like her.

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