[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24370-24372]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE RON PACKARD, MEMBER OF CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin). Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I come tonight because I think 
it is a testament of any Member of this House when someone on the other 
side drops what they are doing to come and speak favorably on the 
departure of a Member. I have come tonight because Ron Packard is a 
friend of mine, one whom I admire immensely.
  When I came to this House, I began to serve on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. There were a lot of times when I was 
not quite clear as to what I would do in terms of asking for more 
funding for California, but then I met a man who

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was from California who knew exactly what I should be doing and how I 
should do it. That man was Ron Packard.
  Ron Packard represents the best in all of us in this House, whether 
we are a Republican or a Democrat, because he simply puts his hands out 
to give advice when one who was a freshman sought that advice. He made 
me feel quite welcome to come to him and comfortable to come to him and 
to seek that advice. I remember one time when I was asking for perhaps 
more money than I should have for California, and he simply said, let 
us get together and see what we can do to work this out.
  I will always have fond memories of Ron Packard. And as he leaves 
this House to go and be with his family and children and grandchildren, 
I know that he will look back upon this House with fond memories, but 
we want him to leave knowing that he had friends on both sides of this 
aisle who not only recognized his experience and his expertise on 
transportation and appropriation issues but also recognized his 
friendship, his putting his hands out to both those across the aisle as 
well as those who worked directly with him on the Republican side.
  We wish the very best for Ron as he goes back to California. I know 
he will not miss the traveling, coming back and forth from California, 
but I hope he will miss us as his friends, because we certainly will 
miss him and all of the great things that he has done to make the 
people of California feel proud of him and to make this Nation feel 
proud of him. I am happy to call him my friend.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in paying 
tribute to our colleague, Mr. Packard, of California for the many years 
of service and dedication he has given to this body and to the American 
people.
  Mr. Packard is retiring from this House after 18 years, and during 
these years we have served together on the House Appropriations 
Committee. He has risen in service to Chair one of our most important 
subcommittees, and he has displayed outstanding leadership for the 
nation in this capacity. Water resources and energy resources are 
vitally important to the quality of life for our citizens, and Ron's 
leadership has moved the U.S. to new levels of achievement in 
addressing those needs. The confidence of those he represents was well 
exemplified by the fact that Ron was only one of four in the history of 
our nation who was elected by a write-in vote.
  Ron, I join your many friends in the House in wishing you and Jean 
years of happiness and good health.
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my friend 
and colleague, the gentleman from California Representative Ron 
Packard, Chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee on 
Appropriations. I am proud to recognize the gentleman for this 
accomplishments and wish him continued success as he retires from the 
United States Congress.
  I have had the honor and pleasure to serve with Chairman Packard in 
the Appropriations Committee and I can tell you from personal 
experience that he is one of the hardest working and most effective 
members of Congress. As Chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee 
on Appropriations, he has done an extraordinary job of balancing the 
national and regional needs; and has always been a good steward of 
federal funds. He is a leader who has proven he can get things done.
  He is a strong friend of Florida and a great American. I thank him 
for the continued support in working with me on various projects in my 
City of Miami and my state of Florida. I know I speak for Members on 
both sides of the aisle, when I say that Chairman Packard's calm 
judgement, strong leadership, unfailing courtesy and good humor have 
been truly appreciated in our deliberations and will be sorely missed.
  Chairman Packard was first elected to Congress in 1982 by a write-in 
vote, becoming only the fourth successful write-in candidate for 
Congress in the history of the United States. Prior to his election to 
Congress, he served four years as mayor of Carlsbad, California, in the 
district he now represents. A dentist by education and profession, he 
was always active in civic affairs and public service.
  Chairman Packard, you can be very proud of your accomplishments here 
and in the imprint that you have made in this institution and on the 
nation. I wish you the very best in the new challenges you undertake.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman's Packard's retirement is a loss to this 
institution, to his colleagues and in particular to his constituents. 
He will be remembered for his commitment and leadership. The people of 
California's 48th Congressional District will miss him, and so will we.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues from the 
California delegation in congratulating Congressman Ron Packard on his 
retirement after serving the people of Southern California for over 20 
years. I would like to take a moment to honor him and his record of 
service to California and the United States. Congressman Packard began 
his long career of public service as a trustee of the Carlsbad Unified 
School District. After serving on the Carlsbad City Council, and later 
as Mayor of Carlsbad, Ron was elected to the House of Representatives 
from California's 48th District. In his first election to the House, he 
was only the fourth successful write-in candidate in U.S. history.
  The citizens of Orange County, San Diego County and Riverside County, 
who placed his name on that first ballot, returned Ron Packard to the 
House eight more times. I join the other members of the San Diego 
delegation in recognizing that the people of his district, of Southern 
California, and of the United States have been well served by his 
exemplary career.
  As Chairman of the Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations, 
Chairman of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, and 
Chairman of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, Ron 
Packard was a model of bipartisan leadership. He always worked with 
Members on both sides of the aisle in a fair and balanced manner to 
bring important legislation to a successful conclusion. He represents 
how one can be a friendly and helpful person even to those, like 
myself, with whom he disagreed on most policy issues.
  Ron, as you look toward the future and a well-deserved retirement, 
the people of Southern California and your colleagues from the 
California delegation thank you for your fine example and wish you and 
your wife, Jeanne, the best of luck.
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, it has been my great privilege to serve in 
this body for the last eighteen years with my California colleague, Ron 
Packard, and on the Appropriations Committee for the last eight. I also 
served on the Military Construction Subcommittee when he was its 
chairman and with him on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee.
  I have very much enjoyed his friendship, our common interest in the 
great game of golf (at which he is very proficient, and I am, 
unfortunately, not very), as well as the opportunity to work with him 
on matters of mutual interest. He has always been fair, courteous, and 
forthcoming in all our dealings, a man of impeccable honesty and 
integrity, and the kind of representative for his constituents that 
does this body proud.
  While we have our differences philosophically--for example, on 
voluntary family planning--I respect his commitments to his core 
beliefs. People of good will in our system can always hold differing 
convictions so long as they are mutually respected.
  I wish Ron and his wife, Jean, a rich and full and enjoyable life in 
retirement, the joys of his wonderful family, and, of course, lots of 
superlative rounds on his favorite courses.
  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Congressman 
Ron Packard as he prepares to retire at the end of the 106th Congress 
and conclude his remarkable career as an elected representative. For 18 
years, I have had the honor of serving with my distinguished California 
colleague. Upon his arrival in 1982, Mr. Packard immediately immersed 
himself in many of the most significant policy debates of the time by 
serving on the Transportation and Science Committees. His vast 
intellect and ability to work with Members in a bipartisan fashion 
became apparent immediately, foreshadowing a long-standing career of 
effective and responsible leadership. Mr. Packard eventually made the 
transition to the Appropriations Committee where he went on to become 
one of the most well respected Chairmen of the Military Construction 
Subcommittee, and later the Energy and Water Subcommittee. Through his 
extraordinary work, he has become one of the most ardent fiscal hawks, 
has legislated against wasteful government spending and has 
continuously fought to solve the many immigration challenges 
confronting the state of California. Also, Mr. Packard has been a 
constant champion of the men and women who serve in our armed forces, 
and has led with a clear vision in working to meet the water, 
environmental, and energy needs of California and our nation.
  But given his lifetime of public service, Mr. Packard's success in 
Congress comes as no surprise. That service began in the military as a 
dentist with the U.S. Navy Dental Corps at

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Camp Pendleton, California located in the congressional district he 
would later represent. He soon became active in local and civic 
affairs, first serving on the Carlsbad school board, then the Chamber 
of Commerce, served two years on the Carlsbad City Council and 
eventually became the mayor of Carlsbad in 1978. It was during these 
years that the people of the 48th district in California learned of Mr. 
Packard's ability to fairly and justly serve those he represented, and 
as a result, they entrusted him with their congressional seat by 
electing him as a write-in candidate in 1982.
  Mr. Packard's career has been exemplified by the values of hard-work, 
honor and integrity that are all too often absent in society. Through 
his ability to work in a bipartisan manner, he has been one of the most 
potent and influential leaders in this body and for 18 years has worked 
tirelessly to serve his constituents and our nation. Although my 
colleagues and I will miss his presence, we wish him well as he 
prepares for retirement and pursues new challenges. Ron, best wishes to 
you and your family.

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