    [Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
    [House]
    [Page H112]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                  {time}  1615
           HONORING DON YOUNG AS DEAN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

      (Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin asked and was given permission to address the
    House for 1 minute.)
      Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for a very happy
    purpose, and it is to recognize the Honorable Don Young of Alaska as
    the new dean of the House of Representatives.
      The tradition of having a dean dates back centuries to the House of
    Commons. It is an honor that goes to our longest continuously serving
    Member.
      Don Young is one of only 28 Americans in the history of this Nation
    to serve more than 40 years in this House. As you can see, he has a
    very bright future ahead of him.
      Don, I want to be clear at the outset that there are limits to the
    dean's duties. For instance, you cannot hang a bearskin in the House
    Chamber. You still cannot reserve seats.
      The dean has the responsibility of swearing in the Speaker. Remember,
    that is swearing in the Speaker, not swearing at the Speaker.
      This milestone is not just a matter of longevity, but the word that
    comes to mind when you think of Don Young is ``loyalty.'' This man is
    fiercely loyal. Don Young is fiercely loyal to Alaska.
      He fights hard for what he believes is right. Just look at ANWR. I
    know it is controversial. We have been talking about doing tax reform
    for 30-plus years here. Don Young has been working on ANWR for 45
    years. When we passed H.R. 1 in the House, that was the 13th time he
    passed an ANWR bill, and it finally made it into law.
      Achievements like this just don't happen overnight. They require
    leaders willing to carry the torch, come what may. As we all know, Don
    Young is not the kind of guy that is going to let anything--or anyone--
    get in his way.
      He is loyal to his family and his friends, which includes many, many
    Members of this body. He can be direct, but you always know where he
    stands, or, more importantly, you always know where you stand with him.
      But most of all, as our dean, Don Young is loyal to this institution.
    That, we all know. Decades on, Don Young believes as much as anyone in
    the value of the work that we do here. As Don, himself, so
    characteristically put it: ``those who think . . . I might retire, you
    can forget it. I like what I do.''
      Don Young is a man of this institution. He believes in this
    institution. He believes in the work that we do.
      So, on this, his 16,374th day in the House, we extend our
    congratulations to Don, to Anne, and to their entire family.
      I thank Don Young for his service to Alaska and to this country.

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