[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING JOHN J.H. SCHWARZ, M.D.

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay special tribute to 
former Congressman John Joseph Henry ``Joe'' Schwarz, M.D., my friend, 
veteran, physician, and dedicated public servant, who passed away on 
May 27, 2026.
  Born and raised in Battle Creek, MI, Congressman Schwarz's journey 
was defined early on by excellence in leadership, athletics, and 
service. At Battle Creek Central High School, he was elected as the 
class of 1955 president and earned varsity letters in football, 
baseball, and swimming. He went on to attend the University of 
Michigan, where he earned a degree in history in 1959. While at U of M, 
he participated in football, men's glee club, and was a lifelong member 
of the Theta Theta Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He earned his 
medical degree in 1964 from Wayne State University.
  Before being elected to public office, Congressman Schwarz served in 
the U.S. Navy, where he was the battalion surgeon for the 2nd 
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and later 
as assistant naval attache to Indonesia. He also worked with the 
Central Intelligence Agency to help locate prisoners of war. In 1974, 
he returned home to Battle Creek with his wife Anne and daughter 
Brennan and entered private medical practice.
  His commitment to public service began as a city commissioner and 
later mayor of Battle Creek, before being elected to serve 16 years in 
the Michigan Senate. Congressman Schwarz faithfully served the people 
of Michigan's former 7th Congressional District from 2005 to 2007. 
During his term in the House of Representatives, he earned a reputation 
as a principled decision maker, a tireless advocate for his 
constituents, and a respected colleague on both sides of the aisle.
  Even after leaving Congress, Joe remained deeply engaged in public 
life and his counsel was sought by leaders across the State of 
Michigan. He served as a trustee of the University of Olivet, a member 
of the university bank board and the Kellogg Community College 
Foundation Board, and on the Michigan Legislative Retirement Board, the 
Purple Rose Theatre Company Board, and the Brass Band of Battle Creek 
Board. He was a past president of the Calhoun County Medical Society 
and on the board of the Michigan State Medical Society.
  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who mourn his 
loss. While we grieve his passing, we also celebrate a life well lived 
and a legacy of service that will endure for generations.
  I ask the Senate to join me in honoring the life of former 
Congressman John J.H. ``Joe'' Schwarz, M.D. for his decades of service 
to the Battle Creek community, the State of Michigan, and our Nation.

                          ____________________