[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E354-E355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            ENI FALEOMAVAEGA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVE CHABOT

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 21, 2017

  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of serving on the Foreign 
Affairs Committee with Congressman Eni Faleomavaega for 16 years. We 
got to know each other well in 2001, when President Bush nominated the 
two of us to be the bipartisan Congressional Delegates to the United 
Nations, and we would travel to New York together to meet with our 
Ambassador and his diplomatic team.
  During Eni's last term in Congress, I chaired the Asia Pacific 
Subcommittee. Eni was the subcommittee's Ranking Member. I can tell you 
that during that period, we disagreed from time to time on policy 
matters, but never were we disagreeable. Eni was the consummate

[[Page E355]]

gentleman who respected the views of his colleagues, as we all 
respected his.
  It was during that time that Eni and I had the opportunity to travel 
together to the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan to meet with the 
leaders of those nations and discuss the economic, political and 
security issues in the region. In those many meetings, Eni was an 
engaged participant who clearly had earned the respect of our allies. 
There were two of us--one Democrat, one Republican. But there was no 
partisanship on that trip. Eni came not as a Democrat but as a 
thoughtful Member of Congress who understood the realities of the modem 
day Asia-Pacific region.
  I think you can tell a lot about an individual Member of Congress by 
what his colleagues and staff think of him. In all the years I had the 
privilege of knowing Eni, I never heard a negative word from anybody 
about him. His colleagues respected him--appreciating his hard work, 
his dedication to this institution, his service during the Vietnam War, 
and his love for American Samoa. And his staff thought the world of 
him--as did mine.
  Mr. Speaker, to his wife, Hina, and his children, grandchildren, 
former staff and extended family--my sincere condolences. Eni was an 
outstanding public servant, a proud Samoan, and a great American. He 
will be missed. Rest in peace, Eni.

                          ____________________