[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23511-23512]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           CONCLUDING REMARKS

  (Mr. ARMEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, since the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Thornberry) as a Member of this body was one of the first 
innovators of legislation with respect to homeland security, how very 
pleased I am to see the gentleman here today as Speaker pro tempore to 
drop the gavel on this matter. I am pleased for the gentleman, and I am 
proud to call the gentleman my friend.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. ARMEY. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of this side of the aisle, I want 
to say again, as this will be I suppose the last time in the 
gentleman's role as majority leader that the gentleman addresses the 
House, we want to congratulate the gentleman on his service. We 
obviously have had disagreements through the years, but the gentleman 
has handled himself as a gentleman, and for this side of the aisle, we 
want to wish the gentleman Godspeed as he enters into a new phase of 
his career. I know the gentleman's family is pleased to welcome him 
back to full-time association. I know that was one of the gentleman's 
prime motives, as he expressed so eloquently on the floor.
  On behalf of the minority, we want to wish the gentleman every 
success and good health and happiness in the future.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce to this body that we 
have some new additions to our congressional family, a new addition to 
the Abel family. Williams James Abel arrived the night before last, 
yesterday, in the early hours of the morning, a beautiful baby boy, 9 
pounds, 4 ounces.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) 
would detain for one moment. I want to share a moment with him before 
he leaves the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, in addition to the wonderful, beautiful William James 
Abell, we have another addition to our congressional family, to the 
Halpern family, Ari Joseph Halpern, born on November 28. I can tell the 
Members, Mr. Speaker, that his father is very proud.
  Mr. Speaker, I notice a colleague of ours for so many years, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), who has so ably served as whip on 
the other side of the aisle. If I could take a moment to say to the 
gentleman from Michigan from our side of the aisle, and I believe I 
dare speak in this case for the entire body, we thank him for his years 
of service. He has always been a gentleman. He has done his job well as 
a

[[Page 23512]]

Member of Congress. I would say on behalf, I believe, of all of us in 
this body, I wish him Godspeed in his remaining activities.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield further, I want 
to join the distinguished majority leader. The gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Bonior) has been one of the most distinguished Members of this 
body. He has reflected, I think, what the American public expects of 
each of us: the courage to state our convictions. He stood for those 
convictions and fought for those convictions, irrespective of their 
popularity or whether he found himself to be in the majority on any 
given proposition.
  I think every Member of this body admires the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Bonior) for the courage of his convictions. We talk a lot about 
that, but I think few Members have displayed the courage of their 
convictions any more dramatically or faithfully than has our colleague, 
the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior).
  He is still a very young man, and he has much to offer his country. 
He fought for his country in Vietnam, and he came here and fought for 
its ideals. He will continue to serve, I know, as a productive and 
extraordinary American citizen. We wish him the very best in whatever 
he may do.
  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, one final point which I am confident will be 
of particular interest to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. Speaker, with us today is my brother, Charlie Armey, general 
manager of the Rams. Mr. Speaker, he and his associates are in town 
this weekend to take care of business. I am sure the gentleman from 
Maryland would like to make him welcome.
  Mr. HOYER. If the gentleman will continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, we 
shall see. We shall see.

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