[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 192 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MOURNING THE PASSING OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN DENNIS MOORE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHARICE DAVIDS

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 2, 2021

  Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas. Madam Speaker, it is with profound sadness that 
I rise today to honor the memory of former Congressman Dennis Moore, 
who passed away November 2, 2021 at the age of 75. His long career in 
public service has left an extraordinary legacy that inspired many, 
including myself. My heart is with his family, his friends, and the 
community that he leaves behind.
  As we mourn his loss, I'm reminded of the first time I met the Moores 
in person. I brought with me the pocket U.S. Constitution that I had 
carried with me all through law school--a pocket Constitution with an 
official label from the Office of Congressman Dennis Moore. After a 
good laugh about how on Earth I had managed to hold on to it all those 
years, he offered to sign my copy and gave me advice on my campaign. 
For his humor, his thoughtfulness, his dedication to public service 
(and his guitar playing skills), he will be missed.
  Dennis was born in Anthony, Kansas on November 8, 1945 and he 
attended high school in Wichita. He continued his education in Kansas 
and received his bachelors' degree in Lawrence at the University of 
Kansas and was awarded his J.D. from the Washburn University School of 
Law.
  Even before serving as Congressman, Dennis demonstrated a lifelong 
commitment to service at a local and national level. He was a captain 
in the United States Army intelligence corps and served in the United 
States Army Reserve from 1970 to 1973. He also served as Johnson County 
District Attorney for over a decade. While he was District Attorney, he 
never lost a jury trial he argued and was instrumental in the founding 
of SafeHome, a refuge for battered women. In the late 90s, Dennis was 
elected to the Board of Trustees of Johnson County Community College.
  In 1998, after more than two decades of service in other roles, 
Dennis threw his hat in the ring to serve the Third District of Kansas 
in Congress. Although the Third District had not elected a Democrat for 
over 40 years before that, Dennis won the election against a Republican 
incumbent with over 52 percent of the vote. Then he won again in 2000, 
becoming the first Democrat since 1914 to win reelection in the Third 
District of Kansas. For over a decade, Dennis served in Congress, known 
for civility and a strong presence in the communities he served. He 
retired from Congress in 2011 after completing his sixth term.
  Dennis served as a Member of Congress during a uniquely fraught 
period between 1999 and 2011, during which Congress worked to respond 
to difficult national traumas such as the financial crisis of 2008. 
Even as Congress and the nation became increasingly polarized during 
this period, Dennis prioritized civility and bipartisanship to find 
solutions that would help average Americans. As Chair of the Oversight 
and Investigations Subcommittee on the House Financial Services 
Committee, Dennis held hearings on the impact of the 2008 financial 
crisis across the country. He also helped to produce the final version 
of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 to respond to the financial crisis and to 
help America recover.
  Dennis had a traditional, common-sense approach to politics and 
worked hard to build consensus both within his party and across the 
aisle. When he first took office, Dennis was a member of a bipartisan 
group called the Center Aisle Caucus where Republicans and Democrats 
would come together at least once a month to improve cooperation and 
communication between the two parties. Within his party, he was a proud 
member of both the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democrat Coalition, 
both of which focused on fiscal responsibility and promoting economic 
growth. Even though he was a pillar of centrism in Congress, he was 
never afraid to stand up for his values such as supporting women's 
reproductive rights and championing environmental activism at a time 
when climate denial was high.
  During his tenure as Representative, Dennis sought common-sense 
solutions on a number of issues that impacted his constituents. These 
issues included but were not limited to delivering tax relief for 
middle class families, addressing global warming, and investing in 
local needs such as transportation, flood control infrastructure, and 
social services. Among his many accomplishments in Congress, Dennis 
said that he was most proud of leading successful efforts to improve 
benefits for our military during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  After leaving Capitol Hill in 2012, Dennis continued to work as an 
advocate for causes close to his heart, such as increased funding for 
Alzheimer's research, education, and support. He came back to the Hill 
in 2014 to provide personal testimony on the burden that Alzheimer's 
can place on the health care system, families, and the federal budget. 
In that hearing, Dennis expressed a belief in a Congress that could 
come together and solve problems. ``I really think we need to find 
those areas where we can and should find agreement,'' he said. ``Good 
people on both sides work together, and there truly are good people on 
both sides.'' His optimism, practicality, and hope for bipartisanship 
were all trademarks of the leader that he was.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of former 
Congressman Dennis Moore. Dennis was a dedicated, gracious, and 
principled leader who will be remembered for his service to the Third 
District and the state of Kansas. To say he left big shoes to fill is 
an understatement--he leaves a legacy of fighting tirelessly for what 
is good and right and decent for the people he represented.

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