[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 162 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H6143-H6149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING THE LATE, HONORABLE STEVE LaTOURETTE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 2015, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) is recognized for
60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor our late
colleague Steve LaTourette, who served in this body for 18 years, and
who, sadly, passed away after a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer.
He died on August 3. Steve will be sorely missed by those of us who had
the pleasure and the honor to work with him and to know him.
Steve and I were elected to Congress together in 1994 as part of the
Republican Revolution, or so it was called in those days. It was the
year of the Contract with America. We were two of the four Republicans
from Ohio who were first elected that year. The other two were Frank
Cremeans, who has also passed away a number of years ago, and Bob Ney.
Steve and I served the longest and worked here together for 16 years,
and over that time we became good friends.
While Steve was an esteemed colleague, respected by both sides of the
aisle, I will always remember him as one of those people who was truly
a great person on a human level. He had a gregarious personality, a
very wry sense of humor, and he shared it with us many times, those of
us in this body, again on both sides of the aisle. We are a better
institution because Steve LaTourette served here among us. He will be
greatly missed and long remembered.
Steve LaTourette had the rather endearing ability to take his job and
his responsibilities very seriously while at the same time poking fun
at himself. Perhaps most importantly, I think Steve will be remembered
because of how much he believed in bipartisanship. He truly did not
care which party you belonged to. If you had a good idea, he would
support it, and he would get into the trenches with you and fight to
get that idea enacted into law.
Sadly, it was the lack of bipartisanship that affected his decision
to retire back in 2012. In his parting speech on this floor, he said:
For a long time now, words like ``compromise'' have been
considered to be dirty words. I have always believed that the
art of being a legislator is finding common ground.
When Members from both sides of the aisle paid tribute to him upon
his departure, The Plain Dealer reported that Steve, in his
characteristic humor, joked that it was fitting that bipartisanship
would only break out when he had decided to leave. I hope that Steve is
looking down on us here this evening so that he will know that he has
truly brought us together in a bipartisan manner because we have a
number of our colleagues here on the other side of the aisle who would
also like to speak in his memory and in his honor.
I hope that we make Steve proud here this evening when he sees the
bipartisanship that is going to be taking place on this floor, and
maybe, just maybe, we can bring a little of this bipartisan spirit with
us into the next Congress. We could certainly use it, considering the
challenges that this institution and we as a nation face after a very
divisive--let's face it, very divisive--election where about half the
people were ecstatic and about half the people are very depressed right
now.
So it is certainly a time for us to come together. It is going to be
a little bit tougher to come together because Steve is not with us, but
we can keep in mind what he would have done, what he would have said,
and how he could have brought us together. So I think it is fitting
that we join together in a bipartisan manner in this tribute to our
former colleague Steve LaTourette this evening.
I would like to yield at this time to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms.
Kaptur), the longest serving Member from the Ohio delegation.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Chabot for yielding. It
is really a pleasure to be here with him this evening and to pay
tribute to a wonderful, wonderful Congressman, Steve LaTourette, from
the great State of Ohio.
Obviously, we return here this evening to Congress following an
election in which new depths of feverish partisanship were reached in
the country, and I feel humbled to speak in tribute to our late
Republican colleague and friend, Ohio Congressman Steve LaTourette.
He was a lawyer's lawyer. He was very, very intelligent and a very
effective lawmaker, and he remained a loyal Republican. But at the same
time, he exemplified, as Congressman Chabot has said, the importance of
compromise and negotiation to the political process for the sake of the
Republic and the American people.
He always prioritized his constituents over partisan concerns, and he
built alliances with House Members of all stripes in pursuit of the
common good. He always conducted himself with a warm smile and a witty
manner throughout, and he always had a good word. I remember how he
sort of looked at you from above his glasses when he would get out of a
committee meeting, always with a broad smile.
It was an honor and a privilege to have served for so many years in
the same Ohio delegation as Steve. He exhibited so much love for our
State and endeavored to help all Ohioans, even those not in his
constituency. In many ways, he was not just a representative for the
19th and then the 14th District of Ohio, but a representative for all
of Ohio, as he effectively worked on our Committee on Appropriations.
One of my fondest passions has been to champion the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative that focuses on the Great Lakes region, and it
often brought us together to work to promote investment in the world's
largest freshwater ecosystem, with 95 percent of our Nation's
freshwater and serving over 30 million Americans; 1\1/2\ million jobs,
and $62 billion in wages are generated in this Great Lakes nation each
year. Steve understood the immense environmental and economic
importance of the Great Lakes to the region and our Nation because he
came from northern Ohio. It was a real pleasure to work with Steve to
champion our Great Lakes issues.
I recall on another front, in 2005, following cuts to the Pentagon's
budget, it was announced that 1,200 jobs at the Defense Finance and
Accounting Service in the Federal office building in Cleveland, Ohio,
were to be cut and shipped out to Indianapolis. Steve was able not only
to successfully lobby the Defense Department to preserve the jobs, but
with his great chutzpah, he
[[Page H6144]]
secured an expansion of the office's size by over 600 jobs the
following year. Many of those employees are now my constituents, and I
know they retain, as I do, a deep gratitude for Steve's vital
intervention. He put the same type of effort into so many projects: the
Inner Belt Bridge in Cleveland, the Port of Cleveland, and so much more
in northeastern Ohio and throughout our State.
These local examples are demonstrative of the ideals and goals that
motivated Steve in the wider, national political context, prioritizing
the public interest and working with anyone and everyone to get things
done. The list is extensive. Steve was one of just seven Republicans to
vote against stripping the National Public Radio of all public funding.
He had courage. He advocated for a mixed and pragmatic approach to
deficit reduction. He blocked legislation aimed at weakening worker
protection, and he voted in favor of an increase in unemployment
benefits as the Great Recession began to bite. The list goes on.
He was a loyal Republican, but he also represented his region. Yet
Steve was critical and, frankly, heartsick about the stark political
divide now found in the House and also of the tone in which that divide
and debate is conducted. I was filled with an immense sense of regret
and sadness upon his decision not to seek reelection in 2012,
especially because of his reason. He had ``reached the conclusion that
the atmosphere'' in the House ``no longer encourages the finding of
common ground.''
His comments remain highly resonant today: If this Chamber was not
able to create a space and forge an environment in which Representative
LaTourette felt able to serve, then how can we expect to pursue the
public good to help the people of this great Nation? Steve's tragic and
courageous death must serve as a calling to us all to constantly recall
America's promises and for what purpose we serve in this great House.
When Steve passed away, a leading light of bipartisanship was
extinguished. As we embark upon a new political chapter in Washington,
let us all do our best to rekindle that fire in his memory.
I thank Congressman Chabot for yielding to me and for arranging for
this Special Order in tribute to our dear friend, Steve LaTourette.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman for
her very kind remarks, and I think she is absolutely right. He was
somebody who did work in truly a bipartisan way, and that is one of the
things I think we will all remember him for as much or more than
anything else.
I would now like to yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce). He
took Steve's place and is now the current Member who represents the
14th District of Ohio.
{time} 2045
Mr. JOYCE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Chabot very much for the
opportunity to be here.
It is a pleasure to see in the gallery tonight Steve's loving family:
his beautiful wife, Jennifer; Emma; Henry. And for those who are at
home: Sarah, Sam, and the twins. You need to know one thing very
clearly: your father loved you very much.
I had the pleasure of first meeting your father in 1988. I was
appointed the prosecutor in Chardon in Geauga County. He was running
for election in Lake County. His favorite saying was: no muss, no fuss.
Don't worry about this, Davie. We have got this.
We worked together for many years, and I can tell you just a few
things because I will be brief. Your father cared. He cared deeply
about you, he cared deeply about his friends and his family. Whenever
you would run into him, he would always ask about the family, the kids.
If he knew someone was ill, he always inquired about how they were. He
always inquired about people first. The job came later.
Secondly, he was loyal. He was somebody you could always count on. If
he gave you his word, it was money in the bank. And the beauty of that,
no matter what was going on in his life, he made you feel like you were
the only one there and your issues were so important to him.
Believe me, he was competitive. Whether it was in a courtroom or in
the Halls of Congress, he was one who would fight for you day in, day
out. He cared deeply about his country and wanted only the best for it.
That is why he fought for it.
But remember one thing: when it came to softball, your father was
something else. We have our annual summer prosecutors' softball game
and his team was, unfortunately, defeated 2 years in a row. Then he
made it part of his hiring practice that anybody who was coming into
the prosecutor's office also had to excel as a softball player because
he was not going to let a loss like that occur a third year in a row on
behalf of his beloved Lake County.
I know you have many fond memories of him. I do, too, but I think the
most important part is to remember how much he loved his country and
that he was one person you could truly call a legislative gentleman and
a scholar.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
Cooper).
Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, we are here tonight to pay tribute to a
truly remarkable man.
I was privileged to attend the memorial service in Falls Church. Mr.
Tiberi delivered an awesome eulogy on that day. The synagogue was full.
What was perhaps most remarkable was that there was almost an equal
number of Republican Members and Democratic Members. That is indeed
rare, and it is sad that it is rare in this day and age.
We all respected, admired, and loved Steve LaTourette because he was
a great Member. Eighteen years of service is a good long time and he
did wonderful things, I am sure, for Ohio.
We heard from Marcy Kaptur about many of the projects he was involved
in, but I want to reflect for a moment on a project that I think could
have and should have benefited the entire United States. It was a huge
lost opportunity, but he put body and soul into it in 2012, which
turned out to be his last year in Congress.
Back then, there was a bipartisan commission appointed by President
Obama, headed up by Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming and also
by the former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles. It was
called the Simpson-Bowles Commission. It was tasked with finding a
bipartisan solution to our Nation's debt and deficit problems.
Back then, in 2012, we thought the debt was astronomical. It was
$15.6 trillion. Now, 4 years later, it is $19.6 trillion. It is $4
trillion higher, $4 trillion of extra burden on future generations,
including Steve's own children.
The irony of the Simpson-Bowles package is that it was about a $4
trillion package to reduce our debt by about $4 trillion. Steve had the
courage to engineer a plan to bring it to the House floor. We got it to
the House floor. We had, according to Steve's estimate, almost 100
commitments for support. We didn't expect to win, but we thought we
would at least put up a good showing. When the votes were counted, we
had a whopping 38 Members who were willing to stand up for bipartisan
debt and deficit reduction. Thirty-eight Members out of a body of 435.
I am not faulting people who didn't vote for it that day, who reneged
on their commitment to Steve. I am proud of those--sometimes called the
brave 38--that stood by that commitment. There was plenty in that bill
to hate. It is easy to criticize, but it is hard to perform. But Steve
LaTourette was a rare Member who was interested in being brave to help
his country, and he was willing to sacrifice to do it. I admire that. I
admire that because it takes courage and I admire that because it is
increasingly rare. Too many members are only looking to be popular and
perpetuate their career instead of putting their country first.
Steve LaTourette put his country first. I hope that people will learn
from his example. I hope they will follow his example. I hope they will
do it in the wonderful, humorous style that he had where he could be
serious as all get out, but also have that twinkle in his eye. He made
friends, he made alliances, but he also built a bridge to the future
for us all.
It is not too late to pay attention to deficit reduction. Sadly, it
was largely ignored in this most recent Presidential campaign by both
candidates, but there are plans now to make our
[[Page H6145]]
debt $5 trillion and $10 trillion worse even than it is today.
So we are not going in the direction of Simpson-Bowles or Cooper-
LaTourette, as the legislation was called. We seem to be going in the
opposite direction. I don't want interest on the Federal debt to be the
largest, fastest-growing new Federal program, but that is the way it is
headed, especially if interest rates tick up.
We have got a lot of work to do in this body. The next Congress we
will have to tackle these Steve LaTourette problems that he was not
willing to duck. I hope that this coming Congress will not duck them.
He was a brave man and a good man and we need to learn from his
example.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Tiberi), who probably knew Steve as well as any other Member in this
House did and was as close a friend of Steve's as I think anybody here.
Mr. TIBERI. Mr. Speaker, I ran into a guy back during the campaign in
my district who was a prosecutor when Steve LaTourette was a
prosecutor. He called him a prosecutor's prosecutor. I guess I
shouldn't be surprised because when Steve LaTourette came to this
Congress 6 years before I came, he became a legislator's legislator.
And to Henry and Emma and to his children at home: that corner back
there became Steve's corner. It was a corner that we spent a lot of
time in. Two of the people who spent a lot of time in that corner with
your dad were Mike Simpson, a Congressman from Idaho, and Frank
LoBiondo from New Jersey. They apologize they could not be here
tonight, but wanted me to tell you they miss him dearly, just as you
do.
Part of what I am going to say, I said at the memorial, but I want to
say it again. Steve was a unique guy and not a guy that I would have
thought that I would have become friends with because he was a
University of Michigan guy and I am an Ohio State guy. But despite
that, we did become friends.
Not only did we become friends, my daughters had a tremendous amount
of respect for him. When I asked them after Steve passed to give me a
word or a phrase that reminded them of Steve, they came up with these
four words or four sayings. One said, Funny. Steve could be brutally
funny with a wicked sense of humor. Another said, Kind. Another said,
Nice man. And, finally, the fourth said, Christlike.
I laughed at that inside because I knew Steve would laugh at that.
But then I looked up Christlike and I got words that fit Steve to a T:
gentle, kind, unselfish, generous. It was really an amazing thing and I
never thought one of my daughters could see that in a guy, with the
words that have been described by our colleagues who loved him. They
loved him dearly because his heart was always in the right spot of
trying to get things done. No matter who it came from or whose idea it
was, Steve was always about helping the little guy.
As Marcy Kaptur from Ohio said, he not only saved jobs in Cleveland,
he added to them. He helped Lake Erie. He was passionate about it. He
was passionate about helping his constituents. Whether it was repairing
a bridge or building a road, transportation and infrastructure issues
were just amazingly important to him. He became an expert in the field.
Whether it be something about a railroad or an airport, a seaport,
Steve knew it. Trucking, he was on it.
I miss Steve back in that corner. He was an amazing counsel and a
friend. He was a mentor. As my daughter said, he was one of the
funniest, kindest, and yes, nicest and most Christlike human beings I
have ever met.
Take comfort in knowing that the world is a better place because of
your dad.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Johnson), from the Sixth Congressional District.
Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank my colleague,
Steve Chabot, for putting this on tonight and giving us this
opportunity to pay tribute to one of the finest human beings that I
personally ever met.
I was elected in 2010, and had no background in public service. I had
no idea what I was getting myself into. There was so much to learn and
so little time to learn it in. Fortunately, for me, Steve LaTourette
was in our Ohio delegation.
It didn't take me long to figure out that, if you had a question on
anything, Steve LaTourette was the guy to go to. Whether it was a
legislative issue or a procedural issue or a political issue, Steve was
a wealth of knowledge and was always willing to take time out of his
personal schedule to sit down and have a conversation with you.
I don't think I ever met anyone while I served with him for two terms
that didn't call Steve a friend, whether that was on the Republican
side of the aisle or on the Democrat side of the aisle.
{time} 2100
Steve had the uncanny ability to smile that smile, to brush away all
of the dust of confusion, and get to the core of the matter. And when
you walked away from a conversation with Steve, you thought: Well, why
didn't I think of that?
I so much appreciated his guidance, his mentorship, and his
friendship. I got to know the expertise and the professionalism of the
man by watching him work.
But the thing that impressed me most about Steve LaTourette was the
heart of the man because I saw him with his family. I saw the way he
treated his wife and his children. And there was no mistaking that
whatever was swirling around the House, you knew where Steve's
priorities were. Steve's priorities were at home, and I will always
remember Steve for that.
People call him colleague, people call him former Member; Jennifer, I
am just proud to call him friend. God bless you and the family, and
thanks so much for letting me share a few moments.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I yield to the
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Chabot for organizing
this Special Order tonight so that we could pay tribute to our
colleague, Steve LaTourette.
And Jennifer, I hope that you and the children are being comforted by
the words that you are hearing here tonight.
I want to associate myself with all the comments that I have been
able to hear tonight about Steve. He truly was a dedicated public
servant and a champion for his constituents in Ohio for 18 years.
As we mourn the loss of Steve, we remember a Representative who stood
for what is right and who fought on behalf of what makes America great.
I had the privilege of standing in the back corner a lot of times
with Steve, and I can certainly testify to his quick-wittedness, his
sense of humor, but also his ability to discern, again, the heart of
the matter, as has been mentioned here.
I learned a great deal from Steve by listening to him. He was a man
of great principle. And as I thought tonight about coming here and
sharing a few comments to pay tribute to Steve, the poem by John Donne,
``For Whom the Bell Tolls,'' kept coming back to me. So I am going to
share that poem tonight because I do think that it epitomizes how we
should think about Steve and his presence here and his absence.
``No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the
continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a
manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes
me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know
for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.''
We are all diminished by the loss of Steve, but we are all the better
for having known him, and I feel very blessed to have known and worked
with him.
God bless you, Jennifer, and your family.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I yield to the gentleman
from Dayton, Ohio (Mr. Turner.)
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Chabot for hosting this
important opportunity for us to come to the House floor to speak about
our good friend, Steve LaTourette.
Ohio has lost a great advocate and a public servant. And to Jennifer
and to Mr. LaTourette's children, I want to add my voice and comments
to those who have spoken before.
[[Page H6146]]
We have heard words such as bipartisan, mentor, substantive,
inspirational and fighter, and I want to add my voice to underscore how
those words were so important in this body and so important for the
legacy of Steve LaTourette.
Bipartisan: As we all know, standing outside off the House Chamber is
the Speaker's lobby where the press stands, and I was stopped many
times by the press asking me this simple question. The press would
approach and say that they had been speaking to the Members of the
House and asking them who is the most bipartisan Member of the House,
and frequently, on both sides, people would mention Steve LaTourette,
and they would want to know how he did that and how he would accomplish
that. Where is the work that would have a Member be identified as the
most bipartisan?
But we all knew it to be true. Whether it be on substantive issues
reaching across the aisle or fighting for what was right, Steve looked
not at what side of the aisle people were on but what was the outcome,
and everyone in this body saw it.
Mentor: Like Bill Johnson, I came here having not served as a
legislator before. Steve LaTourette was willing to sit down, assist me
in understanding how this body works, how an office works, how to make
certain that you are successful, how Congress operates, and how a new
Member can become an important part of it.
Substantive: Congressman Pat Tiberi was saying that this corner over
here was Steve LaTourette's. But what is important about that corner,
not just that Steve LaTourette was there but the line of people that
would form to speak to Steve because they were seeking that bipartisan
voice, his mentoring, but also his substantive comments.
Steve LaTourette was always the individual who knew more about what
was happening on this floor across all subjects than anyone else. It
wasn't just his committee or his bills. It was everything that was
going on. He knew what was happening, and he had advice for everyone
who would stop by to take it.
Inspirational: Steve always had a cause. When you would stop by and
talk to him, it wasn't just what was happening on the House floor, it
was what other issue needed to be addressed, what other issue needed to
be righted, and he would call many people to the cause for that
inspiration.
And he was a fighter. He was always on the right side. Marcy Kaptur
was speaking about the fight of BRAC. When Ohio was facing a BRAC, and
we had many military facilities that were at risk, DFAS and NASA in
Cleveland were facing significant cuts and effects to them. NASA would
have been secondarily affected by the cuts in the Department of
Defense.
Steve LaTourette singularly stood forward and went directly to the
data that the Department of Defense was using, substantively attacked
it, substantively repackaged it, and won on the argument that these
facilities needed not to be closed or impacted but they needed to be
sustained. It was that fighter aspect, it was that substantive aspect
that allowed him to be successful and allowed him to be a leader for
many.
He will be strongly missed, but, by all those who had an opportunity
to learn from him and his mentorship, he lives on in the inspiration he
has provided to us in do the right thing, work hard, substantively
focus, and make certain that you work and honor all of the Members of
the body of Congress, not just those who are of your party.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I yield to the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Gibson).
Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for pulling this
Special Order together to give tribute and to really reflect on the
remarkable life of Steve LaTourette.
For me, Steve was a role model. He was a teacher. He taught me so
much about this institution, and he was a great friend. He was somebody
who was fun to be around.
So many things that I could address but, in the interest of time, I
will make two points. The first is that Steve and I shared a passion
for seeing this body lead and to get our country back to a balanced
budget, believing that this is not only an economic imperative, it is a
moral imperative.
We have today Steve's family who are with us. He felt so deeply about
his family. He loved Cleveland and his entire district, and he knew
that this was an issue that we had to go all in to make happen.
That was certainly one of the main motivations why I retired from the
Army after 29 years total, including 24 years in the regular Army, is
to help move us back to a balanced budget. And working together over
the past 6 years, inspired by Steve and others' work, we have closed
the deficit by almost 70 percent, but we are not there. We are not back
to a balanced budget, and we need to get back to a balanced budget.
Steve helped lead the way.
Our first work together was actually a substitute amendment in 2011
brought to the floor here in the early morning hours in March of 2011,
and I still remember watching Steve; didn't know him real well at the
time but liked everything I saw. And I remember the debate, as it was
moving from about 2:30 to 3 a.m., and the speaker right before Steve
was, quite frankly, criticizing this substitute amendment that Steve
and I had authored before the House and said: Well, we really don't
have time to debate Mr. LaTourette's amendment, given this hour.
So when Mr. LaTourette--when Steve got to the floor and he was
recognized, he said: Excuse me? We don't have time? Moments ago, we
debated cutting off the plumbing to the White House. I think we have
got plenty of time to talk about issues that are very important to my
constituents in Cleveland.
He gave an impassioned set of remarks that I think was very
thoughtfully constructed about how we could guide ourselves back to a
balanced budget, but do it in a way that also brings people together,
that can do it in a way that we can gain bipartisan support for that.
He stood up for things that were very important for people in
Cleveland like the arts, like NPR, and education. And I thought he gave
a very summoning set of remarks, and I was proud to be associated with
that.
Then a year later, as Mr. Cooper mentioned, I was one of those who
joined Mr. LaTourette. We thought our numbers were more formidable, but
we brought forward this bipartisan budget that, as Mr. Cooper pointed
out, was a missed opportunity because, had we actually adopted that
pro-growth, we were closing loopholes and lowering rates for Americans.
And also fiscally conservative, we had smart, spending limits on the
Federal departments, it was not sequestered. These were livable,
sustainable levels that would ultimately get our discretionary spending
under control, and it made a commitment to addressing the mandatory
spending programs as well.
Had we actually enacted that budget, that Cooper-LaTourette budget
today, we would be back at a balanced budget. Given the fact that we
did overperform, we saw some Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac money come in,
and we came in lower than we thought in terms of deficits. In fact, at
one point here we got the deficit down to 352 B, which is still too
high, but represented a 70 percent reduction from the nearly $1.5
trillion that we were at in 2010.
That budget, I believe, ultimately, we are going to end up having to
do that at some point anyway because staring at close to $20 trillion
of debt, we can no longer sit and wait on a Napoleonic-style battle
that is going to ultimately clear the field and allow for one party to
implement everything that they want on the budget.
We now are going to have unified government, and I am looking forward
and excited about those prospects. But we still have issues where we
need to get support. There are votes that are needed in the Senate,
thresholds that have to be met. So, ultimately, I think that that
Cooper-LaTourette budget will come back, and I hope that we can get
this done for our Nation. I want to thank Steve for his leadership for
that.
The second point was actually an interesting one, a little bit tough
to go through, but I am better for it. This was also in 2011.
I saw Steve, and everybody knows the incredible sense of humor, the
dry, rapier-like wit that Steve can have. I saw Steve one day, around
noon or so, and he said: Gibson, yesterday.
[[Page H6147]]
Yeah, Steve.
He goes: You were in the chair. You were acting Speaker.
Yeah, yeah, I was.
He goes: That jacket, don't ever wear that jacket again.
And I am thinking, okay, I was an Army guy, you know. For the time I
was on Active Duty, okay, true, we would get up in the morning and say:
I think I will wear something green today, you know. And that did make
life easier. But I thought, you know, I have got pretty good taste in
clothing.
{time} 2115
So I went back to my staff, and I said: Steve LaTourette seemed
pretty serious. He said, ``Don't ever wear that jacket again.''
They said: Well, why don't you do this? How do you feel about it?
I said that I kind of like it.
They said: Why don't you watch it? Why don't we bring it up?
So here is my staff all standing around the computer. We bring it up,
and all of a sudden I said: Oh, man, what was I thinking?
I never wore that jacket again, Steve. I want you to know that. I am
going to be donating this jacket to the Library of Congress in honor of
Steve LaTourette's incredible taste and my lack thereof.
I do want to show it, though, one final time for the Record. Somehow,
I think it just looks worse on TV than it does when I actually look at
it.
Steve, thank you. God bless you. You were an incredible role model
for me, a great friend, an amazing husband and father, and you are
missed every day in these Halls. God bless you.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I say to Congressman Gibson, as usual, Steve
LaTourette was right, although I think it is a fine jacket.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for
yielding. I thank him for leading this hour this evening. It is
entirely appropriate that we gather this evening and remember our
friend, Steve LaTourette.
Steve was a friend, and you know what they say about friends in
Washington, but Steve was a friend. I arrived here in 2003 and had
never served in a legislative body before. I was on Steve's
subcommittee, on one of the Transportation and Infrastructure
subcommittees, and I will never forget how he ran his subcommittee. It
was so even, so evenhanded, no partisanship. I try to carry that with
me today, even now, 14 years later, in other subcommittees where the
subject matter can get a little bit more contentious, just remembering
the respect with which he treated Members of both sides of the dais. It
was almost as if Steve didn't even have a dog in the fight, as we say
back in Texas, but of course he did.
Steve would give you the shirt off his back. I got kind of put in a
tight spot. I needed a speaker for a transportation summit I was doing
back in Texas--I mean in Denton, Texas, for crying out loud. Nobody in
Ohio even knows where that is. This was in 2012. He had actually had
his last election. He wasn't coming back. But I implored upon him:
Steve, you have got such a great transportation mind, come and talk to
the leaders in transportation in Denton, Texas. He didn't hesitate. He
did it.
Steve taught me something that day. He got to Ronald Reagan Airport
without his wallet. You actually can get on a flight in the United
States of America without an ID. I guess it helps having been a
subcommittee chairman on the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee and perhaps an appropriator in the transportation area. But I
was so worried when I got word that Steve had gotten to the airport
without his wallet that he wouldn't be able to make it down to Dallas/
Fort Worth, but indeed he did. He gave a great presentation. People
still talk about it today.
Steve did have that wit. He had that wit that we all experienced at
one time or another. He had a way of really bringing you back to earth
with his turn of phrase and with his humor.
Steve, we do miss you. The fact that there is a recalcitrant cancer
out there that can still claim the lives that it does is something this
body should focus on. That is something this body should work on. We
can do that. We have had legislation, really, for a year and a half to
try to improve and speed those discoveries. It is held up over in the
Senate right now. I am still optimistic we can get it back over here to
the House and get it done this year, get it done before this term ends.
I would like to do that for Steve.
What a great friend. We miss you.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Chabot.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Burgess.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney
Davis).
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and
friend from the great State of Ohio.
This is an opportunity that is bittersweet for me and bittersweet for
the American people to be able to honor somebody that I got to know as
a friend and never had a chance to serve with in this great
institution, but somebody who cared about the issues that were
important to governing this country and governing America.
America, the greatest country in the history of the world, has been
served by public servants like Steve LaTourette for hundreds of years,
but not many were like Steve LaTourette. Steve was somebody who focused
on how we actually bring both sides of this institution together to
move policies forward that are going to benefit every single American.
His work on transportation and infrastructure was part of the reason
why I sought a seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
when I got to Congress in 2013.
Getting a chance to know Steve through his efforts at the Main Street
Republican Committee and getting to know Steve through many friends
that I got to know in the great State of Ohio proved to me what I had
heard about Steve for the years before I got here: that he is somebody
who actually wants to make America the greatest country in the history
of the world.
Steve LaTourette was somebody whom I looked up to. Steve LaTourette
was somebody that America should look up to.
Steve, I know you are looking down upon all of us, and especially
your family, but I want you to know that what you did and the
difference you made in this great institution will never be forgotten.
You are an institution yourself, and your family and history will show
all of us and this great country that.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I know that we are rapidly approaching that
time in which our time has lapsed for this Special Order here, and I
think it is fitting that we had Members from both sides of the aisle
who came to give a testament to how much Congressman Steve LaTourette
meant to this institution--to the House of Representatives--that he
loved so much.
I know personally that Speaker John Boehner depended on Steve
LaTourette. They were friends, but I know that Speaker Boehner relied
upon Steve LaTourette in a lot of the tough decisions that one has to
make as Speaker of the House of Representatives. That is something that
wasn't necessarily known to the public, but I think it is important
that his family know that--Jennifer, his wife; Emma, Henry, and all his
children, his whole family. I know they know this, but it is important
that they realize how important Congressman LaTourette was to this
institution and how much he meant to us.
It was also mentioned by some of our colleagues the rapier wit that
he had. I had heard the term ``knuckleheads'' before--I probably called
people that before and maybe was called that myself--but I had never
heard the term ``chuckleheads'' before. That was something that Steve
called some Members of this institution with whom he disagreed. I
always thought that that was kind of humorous and something that will
live in the annals of this institution.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention there were a number of
Members on both sides of the aisle that wanted to be with us this
evening but who had other things that they just couldn't get done with.
We are back in session. We just, obviously, had a national election and
this is the first time that Congress has been back in session since
that election, so there are a lot of things happening all over the Hill
this evening. I know that, for example, Congressman Jim Renacci and
Congressman Steve Stivers, among others, have put written speeches in
the Record which will appear along with
[[Page H6148]]
the speeches that we have heard here this evening.
Let me just conclude by letting the family know, Jennifer and the
kids, that Steve LaTourette will be long remembered in this
institution. He will really be missed. He is one who really made a
difference, and he is somebody that I am honored to say that I was able
to serve in the United States House of Representatives with, our
friend, our colleague, Congressman Steve LaTourette.
God bless him.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a dear friend and
highly respected colleague, the Honorable Steve LaTourette. He left us
too soon, and will never be forgotten.
It is an honor for me to speak about Steve. To the LaTourette
Family--Sara, Scott, Grandson Matthew, Emma, Henry, and Jennifer--we
share in your great sorrow for someone we all knew and loved. Your
brother, your father, your husband, and our friend and colleague
brought us joy.
Yesterday I was on a plane flying to Washington, D.C. I sat next to a
nice, young woman. We exchanged pleasantries and then kept to
ourselves. I started to rework my remarks for today, and I was going at
it pretty intensely--write, scratch, write--and at one point, I
stopped, and the woman asked me what I was working on so hard. I told
her it was a eulogy for a good friend's funeral, and that I had never
delivered a eulogy before. She said she was sorry to hear of my loss.
I went back to writing and she went back to her iPad. Several minutes
later, I paused again to look out the window. At that point, I could
feel this overwhelming emotion welling up inside of me. I had no
outward sign of emotion--no tears, no noise--just strong internal
emotion; that lump in your throat. At that point, without saying a
word, the young woman put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it a few
times. I turned to her and said thanks. She told me it would be okay.
I turned to look out the window again and thought to myself, ``that
must have been Steve's doing,''--a simple act of kindness to reassure a
friend. I was 30,000 feet in the air, closer to Heaven, where I know
Steve is but the more I thought about it, I changed my conclusion. And
it brought a smile to my face. The same smile Steve always brought to
my face. It wasn't that I was close to Heaven and that Steve's spirit
was with me. It was because I was on a mode of transportation. It
wouldn't have mattered which mode--plane, train, car, bus, or boat--
Steve's spirit would have been with me because we shared that interest
and passion. Whenever I work on these issues, Steve's spirit will
always be with me.
Steve was a great friend, a dear friend. But he was also a mentor to
me, both in Congress and in life. He was bright, compassionate, and
hardworking. He was someone you could count on, and he was funny. That
humor often carried the day, in good times, intense times, and bad
times. He could always light up the room with his wit and humor.
I first learned about Steve from my father, who served with Steve.
During my first term in Congress in 2001, I asked my father which
members I could look to for good, sound advice. He gave me four to five
names but the first name was Steve LaTourette. He said, ``You can trust
Steve. You may not always agree on the issue but he will always shoot
straight.''
Steve was a member's member. He cared about the people he worked with
and the institution. He also cared deeply about finding solutions,
which always had him working in a bipartisan manner. He would reach
across the aisle to find a path forward.
My father gave me a piece of advice for serving in Congress: You must
learn the rules of the institution, become an expert on an issue, and
keep your word. Steve excelled at all three.
First, learn the rules. Few if any members knew the rules of the U.S.
House of Representatives and Congress better than Steve. You could
watch him in action when he was in the chair, presiding over the
chamber during debate. He was in the chair frequently, and especially
when a bill or debate was expected to be challenging. Steve was given
those assignments because his knowledge of the rules. He was always
able to act quickly and forcefully because of his knowledge.
Second, become an expert on an issue. Steve demonstrated his
expertise on financial services issues time and time again. In debate
or verbal combat with another highly intelligent legislator, Barney
Frank, it was always educational and insightful. Few could go toe-to-
toe with Barney but Steve was one. And on transportation and
infrastructure issues, Steve's knowledge was always impressive. It
didn't matter the mode of transportation, whether it was highway
transit, railroad, aviation, maritime, or even public buildings, Steve
knew his stuff. Transportation and infrastructure issues were where his
heart really was. That was fortunate for me because he taught me so
much.
Finally, keep your word. Steve's word was always solid. Regardless of
if you were on the same side of an issue or he opposed you, you could
count on his word. But if you opposed him, it could be a very, very
long day. In Congress, your word is critical to success. It is the coin
of the realm, and Steve LaTourette's word was gold.
As I thought about what to say today, I thought what I might have
said to Steve if we had exchanged places on the last day I saw him--me
in bed and he by my bedside. It was the Friday before the GOP
Convention in his beloved Cleveland. What came to me was the final
scene from one of my favorite movies, The Outsiders. Johnny was in a
hospital and beside was his friend, Ponyboy. Throughout the movie, they
referred to the Robert Frost poem, ``Nothing Gold can Stay.'' At that
point in the movie, Johnny whispers into his friend's ear, ``Stay gold,
Ponyboy . . . stay gold.'' Steve LaTourette was gold and will forever
be gold.
Steve, we love you, and you will be missed, my friend.
Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I join my fellow Ohioans and colleagues in
recognizing the life and work of Steve LaTourette, a good friend and an
outstanding public servant.
Steve served nine terms in Congress. Though they say Washington
changes you, he remained extremely thoughtful and completely authentic
throughout his tenure. And regardless of the circumstances, Steve
always did what he thought was the right thing.
He came to Congress after serving as a public defender and Lake
County prosecutor. He knew the law inside and out and could argue a
point passionately, but he also had a great sense of humor.
In fact, during his first term, he famously delivered a speech
written by humorist Dave Barry on the House floor, poking fun at his
chosen profession: ``The vast majority of lawyers . . .'' he read ``. .
. are responsible professionals as well as, in many ways, human
beings.''
Steve LaTourette was a great human being. Though Cancer took him away
from us way too soon, he leaves a legacy of service that has had a
tremendous impact on his family, his colleagues, and especially, for
Northeast Ohio.
My thoughts and prayers are with Jennifer and the entire LaTourette
family. I know Steve was looking down proudly as his daughter Sarah was
elected to a leadership position in the Ohio House of Representatives
this month. There is no question that Steve lives on through his
children and through each one of us who had the pleasure of knowing and
working with him.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I want to
recognize the life and service of United States Congressman Steve
LaTourette. As a colleague, Congressman LaTourette was many things at
once--formidable, smart, and considerate. Whatever the context, whether
an argument or an agreement, he remained open-minded and friendly,
always paying attention to his constituents and their needs, while
adapting in a changing political climate, and remaining keenly himself.
This delicate balancing act is why Steve was so admired and will remain
forever respected. It is a shame that the horrific disease of
pancreatic cancer cut his life short, but that fact will never outweigh
the richness of his life.
Congressman LaTourette was an Ohio man through and through. After
graduating from the University of Michigan, he returned to the state he
loved to study law at Cleveland-State University. His life-long career
in politics began when he was elected County Prosecutor of Lake County,
Ohio. In this capacity, he prosecuted the famous Kirtland mass murders.
His desire to serve urged him to run for and win a seat in Congress
representing his 19th Congressional District in 1994.
Congressman LaTourette's career spanned from 1995 until 2013, when he
retired. In this time, he was known as a strong presence on the House
Appropriations Committee. But more than anything else, he was known as
a bright and independent mind that was committed to serving his
constituents in Ohio. I was sad to see him retire, and now I am sad to
see him leave this earth.
Mr. Speaker, Congressman LaTourette was a great United States
Representative but an ever better man. May this Congressional Record
show he will be forever loved and never forgotten.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of former
Congressman Steve LaTourette from Ohio who passed away in August.
I had the pleasure of serving with Steve throughout his time in the
House and worked closely with him while we both sat on the
Transportation Committee. Steve was a great legislator, and I admired
his relentless dedication to cutting through the gridlock that often
plagues D.C.
[[Page H6149]]
After leaving the House, Steve continued to be a voice of reason as
he led the Republican Main Street Partnership. Steve's profound
understanding of Congress as an institution and the dynamics we face as
members will be missed.
Steve was a fine soul. He was never without a smile on his face, and
I always enjoyed his rapier wit. I am glad to have counted him a
friend.
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the late Congressman
Steven LaTourette. Congressman LaTourette was a dedicated public
servant and talented legislator . . . who understood the value of
compromise and the importance of finding common ground.
During his eighteen years serving the people of Ohio in the House of
Representatives . . . Congressman LaTourette carried himself with humor
. . . and always stayed true to who he was. He was a friend to many . .
. and always was willing to reach across the aisle to get things done
on behalf of his constituents.
We should all follow the example of principled legislators like
Congressman LaTourette.
I wish his family well during this difficult time . . . and am
grateful to have the opportunity to honor his legacy with my fellow
colleagues.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I ask for Unanimous
Consent to address the House for the purpose of a one-minute speech to
honor the life of former Ohio Representative Steve LaTourette--who we
lost too soon earlier this year.
Steve LaTourette served this body well for 18 years and was known
around the People's House as someone who worked hard, knew the rules of
this institution, and always had a hand reaching across the aisle
because he was dedicated to governing, and getting things done. Steve
was also well-renowned for his quick wit. But most of all, Steve was a
humble public servant, dedicated to the craft of governing. He loved
the nitty gritty of getting common-sense legislation through the
pipeline and into law.
Now, most folks know that I am a passionate Michigan Wolverine fan,
and even though Steve hailed from Ohio, he was a pretty smart guy
evidenced by his degree from the University of Michigan. Steve and I
were buddies and caught many games together through the years in Ann
Arbor. In fact, Steve was one of my very dear friends. When Steve first
got elected in 1994, we sensed a kindred spirit in one another and
quickly teamed up on a host of issues important to our Midwest
communities.
His passionate work on behalf of the Great Lakes and environmental
issues was particularly impressive.
And the Republican Main Street Partnership was better for his
tireless leadership and advocacy.
He knew his neck of the woods in Ohio better than anyone, and worked
hard as a fearless advocate for their needs. And with Steve, you always
knew where you stood. He was a straight shooter, and no matter how
difficult the topic, he was always honest.
This body lost a great man when he retired. His wife Jennifer, and
his six children, lost a great man with his untimely passing.
Today, we stand together in remembering Steve LaTourette. We remember
his passion, his grace, his humor, and his mantra of bipartisanship
that--now more than ever--should be part of the fabric of this great
institution.
____________________