[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE LIFE OF SENATOR ROBERT GRIFFIN AND RECOGNIZING HIS 
         INDUCTION INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S HALL OF HONOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK BERGMAN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 26, 2019

  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, it's my honor to recognize the life and 
service of the late Senator Robert Griffin on the occasion of his 
induction into the Department of Labor's Hall of Honor. Through a 
lifetime of unparalleled leadership and devotion to the public good, 
Senator Griffin became an indispensable part of the state of Michigan.
  Robert Paul Griffin was born November 6, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan. 
The son of an auto factory foreman, Griffin spent his youth working on 
auto assembly lines. During the Second World War, Robert enlisted in 
the 71st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, where he served from 1943 
until 1946. Following his military service, Robert attended Central 
Michigan University and went on to earn his law degree from the 
University of Michigan in 1950. He practiced law in Traverse City until 
his election to the U.S. House of Representatives as the Congressman 
for what was then Michigan's Ninth District in 1956.
  Representative Griffin became a national leader in the fight against 
organized crime and union corruption, eventually helping to create the 
Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959--also known as 
the Landrum-Griffin Act. This landmark piece of Labor legislation has 
helped to promote democracy, weed out corruption, and allow members to 
participate more freely in the affairs of their union. After serving in 
the House for five terms, Griffin was appointed to a vacant Senate 
seat, where he would go on to win reelection and serve as the Senate 
Minority Whip. Following his time in the Senate, he returned to 
Traverse City to practice law until his election to the Michigan 
Supreme Court in 1986. He served on the Court until his retirement in 
1994. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 91.
  In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Landrum-Griffin Act, 
the U.S. Department of Labor has inducted Senator Griffin and former 
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Howard Jenkins, Jr., into 
the Department's Hall of Honor. With his lifetime of promoting fair and 
responsible practices in unions, none are more deserving of this honor 
than Senator Griffin. The impact of his life's work on the people of 
the United States cannot be overstated.
  Madam Speaker, it's my honor to recognize the incredible life of 
Senator Robert Griffin and his induction into the Department of Labor's 
Hall of Honor. His family can take great pride in knowing that the 
legacy of this dedicated leader will live on for generations to come.

                          ____________________