[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 54 (Monday, March 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING ROBERT JULIANO

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, last fall, Robert Juliano passed away at 
the age of 80 after a lifetime of fighting on behalf of the restaurant 
workers of America. For decades, he shaped and shepherded nearly every 
piece of legislation that helped restaurant workers in the United 
States. Along the way, he made extraordinary friendships with Members 
of congress of both parties, Capitol Police, congressional staff, and 
many of the people who make things work around here. Bob was to some 
Bobby, others Cool Bobby J, and even Uncle Bobby, but most of all, I, 
like so many others, called him our friend. In April, his union that 
represents 300,000 hotel, restaurant, and other service workers across 
the United States--known as UNITE HERE--will gather to celebrate the 
man who, even with so many powerful friends, never stopped thinking of 
himself as ``a kid from Taylor Street in Chicago.''
  Bob was born in the City of Big Shoulders--Chicago--on the West Side, 
to Emil and Mary Salvaria Juliano. He attended Saint Ignatius College 
Preparatory, on Roosevelt Road, and Loyola University in Chicago. Both 
are Catholic Jesuit institutions that taught him the importance of 
service to one's community.
  As a young man, he got his start as an elevator operator, eventually 
working his way up to become the personnel manager of the legendary 
Palmer House Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago. Through his work at the 
Palmer House, Bob met labor leaders and union members. This included 
Edward Hanley, the leader in Chicago of HERE, which later became UNITE 
HERE, representing the workers of the Palmer House. In 1973, Hanley 
became the International President of HERE.
  It was around this time that Bob met then-Mayor Richard J. Daley 
through then-Chicago Alderman Vito Marzullo. These were the days when 
Mayor Daley was a true political force. Mayor Daley immediately learned 
a lesson we all have in the decades since. You could not help but like 
Bob. The mayor called then-House Majority Leader Tip O'Neill and 
endorsed Bob going to Washington, DC. With the support of Daley and 
O'Neill, one of then-President Hanley's first acts was to name Bob as 
HERE's first full-time legislative representative. He had no lobbying 
experience, but Daley told him, ``Go to Washington. Everything's going 
to be fine. You're in your mother's arms.''
  It was the beginning of four decades of Bob's work on nearly every 
major piece of labor legislation. He was proud to help guide the 
passage of the Black Lung Benefits Act of 1972 that ensured coal miners 
had access to the same health plan as Federal employees. Bob received 
numerous honors throughout his life, and he was especially proud of his 
honoree status with the Sons of Italy Foundation.
  Bob was one of a kind; he was friends with such different people as 
Senators Bob Dole, Ted Kennedy, Orrin Hatch, Sam Brownback, and myself. 
We disagreed on a lot, but we could always agree on Bob. What made Bob 
special was that he knew everyone--everyone from the chiefs of staff, 
to the front desk assistants, to the food service workers, the Capitol 
Police, and everyone in between. Bob cared about them, and he was known 
to talk their ear off for an hour from time to time. From his days at 
the Palmer House to his days in the Capitol, his hospitality was a 
feature of who he was. Bob directly connected with people. He never 
learned how to use a computer, but he was successful because of how he 
treated people.
  The late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin of Chicago called Bob his lobbyist. 
All kidding aside, Bob's love of people is a great representation of 
faith. Bringing people from all walks of life together with kindness is 
something we all should work toward.
  I will miss the kid from Taylor Street in Chicago. They do not make 
them like Bob anymore, and we are lesser for it.
  Robert E. Juliano is survived by his son, Robert E. Juliano, Jr.

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