[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 10] [House] [Pages 13262-13270] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO PETER RODINO The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, we are gathered here this evening to pay tribute to one of the true heroes of our time, a man who earned a stellar national reputation but who also holds a very special place in the hearts of those of us from his home State of New Jersey and those who had the privilege to serve with him, former Congressman and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the Honorable Peter W. Rodino. I feel privileged to hold the seat in Congress which Chairman Rodino previously held from 1948 until his retirement 40 years later in 1989. It is certainly a testament to his outstanding work here in the House of Representatives and the high esteem in which he was held among his constituents that he won reelection to Congress 19 consecutive times over the course of his career. From my personal experience growing up in Newark, New Jersey, I was inspired to enter public service after reading stories in the newspaper I delivered as a youngster, the Star Ledger, about the work of my local Congressman, Peter Rodino, and the passion he brought to his job. We felt proud to have such a hardworking and dedicated public servant representing our interests in Washington, especially since I lived in the neighborhood in the old North Ward of Newark where he served and lived. Peter Rodino was a driving force behind all of the major civil rights legislation and opened up doors of opportunity for an entire generation. Throw his service on the House Judiciary Committee he authored the majority reports on which the civil rights legislation of 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1968 were based. In addition, he played a key role in the passage of the fair housing bill in 1966. He was active in the movements to establish a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, and to provide the District of Columbia with a voting delegate. During the Watergate hearings, Chairman Rodino won praise from both sides of the aisle for his fairness, even-handedness and sense of decorum. He carried out his constitutional duty, but it was not a role he chose or relished. In fact, he broke down in tears after the Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment against a President not of his own party. That kind of sensitivity and compassion is indeed rare today in the political arena. After his retirement from Congress, Congressman Rodino continued working diligently, serving as a distinguished visiting professor of constitutional law at Seton Hall University in Newark, New Jersey. I was excited during my first term in Congress to be part of a successful effort to secure over $5 million for the establishment of a model center for social justice at [[Page 13263]] Seton Hall University School of Law, the Peter W. Rodino, Junior, Institute of Social Justice. Despite all of his achievements, Peter Rodino was most proud of being the son of an Italian immigrant who achieved the American dream. In fact, in a tribute to his Italian heritage, he sponsored the bill that made Columbus Day a Monday national holiday. He never forgot where he came from and he always had time to help other people who needed a hand. In fact, after his passing on May 7, the Star Ledger ran a story about a sixth grade student, Christina Rodriguez, who had never met former Congressman Rodino, but called seeking an interview for a school paper she was writing. Although he was in the middle of celebrating his 95th birthday with friends and family, he generously spent 45 minutes giving her a firsthand account of a chapter of history that took place long before she was born. Mr. Speaker, former Congressman Rodino was not only an admired leader and a great champion for all of the right issues, he was also a wonderful human being. Let us express our deep appreciation for his service in Congress. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Joy; his son, Peter W. Rodino, III; his daughter, Margaret Stanziale and her husband Charles Stanziale; his three grandchildren, Carla Prunty, Maria Stanziale and Talia Rodino; and his twin great-grandchildren, Annabel and Charlotte Prunty. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), who served on the Judiciary Committee with Mr. Rodino, the current ranking member on the Committee on the Judiciary, who has served in the Congress for close to 40 years. {time} 2045 Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, but would be pleased if the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the minority leader, would precede me. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi). Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I know how close the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) was to our former colleague, Congressman Rodino, and I am very honored he would yield to me to speak about him. I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and say how impressive it is to see him; the Chair of our caucus, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez); and all of the members of the New Jersey delegation; along with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) of the Committee on the Judiciary, all who served with Mr. Rodino or served under his legacy, or are just proud to speak out this evening. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for organizing this Special Order. First, I join the gentleman in expressing heartfelt condolences to the entire Rodino family, to his wife, Joy, daughter Margaret, and of course his son, Peter. I hope they find comfort in the proud legacy he leaves. I hope it is a comfort to them that so many people mourn their loss and are praying for them. A man of integrity and humility, Peter Rodino was a great American who served our Nation with great dignity and honor. He was truly a historic figure and consequential leader who changed the course of history for the better. Many years ago, President John Kennedy spoke of ``the high court of history'' by which public officials will be judged. History will treat Peter Rodino very well. By conducting the Watergate impeachment hearings with fairness, Peter Rodino ensured that the rule of law prevailed during one of the greatest constitutional crises in our country. He spoke before this House when the Watergate impeachment hearings and said, ``Whatever the result, whatever we learn or conclude, let us now proceed with such care and decency and thoroughness and honor that the vast majority of the American people, and their children after them, will say: `That was the right course. There was no other way.''' He did all that and more. His contribution was immeasurable. Americans will be forever grateful for his courage and for his defense of the Constitution. Though most renowned for the service he rendered during the Watergate impeachment hearings, Peter Rodino left a lasting imprint as a distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee, an author of significant legislation, ranging from civil rights to immigration to protecting consumers. A Seton Hall law professor, Paula Franzese said at his funeral, ``He was a champion for the underdog. He was a speaker for those who had no voice.'' What a magnificent compliment, and still understates the contribution he made. Peter Rodino was a main sponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1966 and authored the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 1982. He reformed immigration quotas and promoted fair housing laws, and he was one of the authors of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act that protects consumers by preventing anti- competitive mergers. He was a legislative and legal giant whose work continues to have a profound impact on the lives of Americans. Peter Rodino's passing is a personal loss to who all served with him. It was an honor to call him colleague. Though a giant in Congress, he was always kind to newer, more junior Members who looked to him for guidance. He was of course a great source of pride and inspiration for all of us in the Italian-American community. I had a special bond with him in that regard. He was, as Father Nicholas Gengaro noted at the funeral, ``a household God, patron of the good name and respect'' of Italian Americans. He was always proud of his heritage. As a Congressman, one of his notable achievements was sponsoring the bill that made Columbus Day a national holiday, a day that commemorates the contributions of Italian Americans. After serving in Congress for nearly 40 years, Mr. Rodino did not retire, he returned to his beloved Newark and continued his public service until his passing. He found a new and noble calling as an educator and law professor at Seton Hall Law School, and he shared his lessons with new generations of students so they could learn from his example and so that the lessons of Watergate will never be forgotten. As he said in an interview a year ago, ``People today just do not know what happened, and they should.'' And they did learn more when he passed away because so many compliments were extended to his family for his incredible leadership. Because of Peter Rodino, the rule of law prevailed. He stood for truth and accountability and fought against abuses of power and corruption. His legacy is a reminder it is our constant duty to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, the rule of law and our civil liberties. That is the oath of office we take and we must never, never let our guard down on it. Tonight as we recall the life of Peter Rodino, we must honor his legacy by conducting ourselves and all of our public duties with integrity and fairness, and we must honor his courageous legacy by upholding the rule of law as he did so much to advance, and defending the Constitution he did so much to protect. Again, I offer my condolences to the family. It is a great loss for so many reasons, but he had a wonderful smile and a twinkle in his eye and he was just a great and wonderful person. You could see the spark of divinity in him, and his generosity of spirit and kindness to so many people, and the greatness of his intellect. I offer my condolences to his family for their personal loss. As a Nation, we give thanks for his life, a life that enriched and ennobled all who knew him, and a life of dedicated and courageous service. We shall miss him greatly. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for calling this Special Order to commemorate a giant of the Congress. [[Page 13264]] Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) for those kind words. I know his wife, Joy, will appreciate those words as she is watching this tonight in the comfort of her home with other members of her family. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, when we think of Peter Rodino on the Committee on the Judiciary, it conjures up the names of some of those great men and women, Barbara Jordan, who walked the halls, who listened in that 2141 Rayburn Room to the constitutional arguments that were being presented day in and day out. And we thought what would happen after Mannie Celler was the chairman. Here was little old Peter Rodino and people said, Wow, where are we going to go from here? Mannie Celler was a giant, an orator, a fighter, a great writer. And Peter Rodino came to the chairmanship of the Committee on the Judiciary as a very modest, humble member of that committee. He never sought the spotlight. You would rarely see him on television before Watergate and impeachment. It seemed like it was provident that for that impeachment, we needed exactly the kind of persona that Peter Rodino brought because without it, I can tell Members we do not know where that committee was going. That committee was very passionately divided, and it was very even numbers of Democrats and Republicans. There was open writing about whether this Nation could stand an impeachment of a President because there had not been one in over 100 years. They were saying how can Chairman Rodino contain this huge division that is ripping not just Washington but the whole Nation, indeed the world was focused on whether or not there were grounds to remove under the second amendment to the Constitution under articles of impeachment for treason, high crimes or misdemeanors. Believe me, we were under a great deal of tension. Everybody was getting angrier in their speeches and the pronouncements of the Members, but Peter Rodino never lost his temper. He never raised his voice. After we had the White House tapes come out, then the articles of impeachment came forward. And out of five of them, three of them received the votes of at least half a dozen Republicans and Democrats as well. I might as well tell Members there were Democrats on the committee that were not convinced that impeachment was the route to go. So Peter Rodino, with people like Bob Kastenmeier of Wisconsin, Don Edwards of California, Jerome Waldie of California, Barbara Jordan. And there was a freshman member on the committee named the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). And there were some interesting staff members. One was named attorney Hillary Rodham and another was Attorney Zoe Lofgren. There were all kinds of names coming in and out. Every day brought new developments. President Nixon was resolute that he would never give up his office to these kinds of scurrilous attacks, and Peter Rodino persevered through this. Had there been a chairman with a different personality or temperament, I am not sure how those impeachment hearings would have gone forward. When I visited Peter Rodino at Seton Hall Law School last spring, he was still full of stories. He was still reminding me of incidents and how we had to get the votes and master the subpoenas, the issuance of the subpoenas and the order of witnesses and what we would do with John Dean and Haldeman and Archibald Cox. Those names all figured into this incredible situation that this very modest Member of Congress from Newark who preceded the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) was able to keep it together. It transformed America. It forced the President to resign rather than to have us have to bring those articles of impeachment forward. Chairman Rodino worked behind the scenes to figure out who would actually take the place of President Nixon. I will never forget the discussions that went on in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building in which finally the Speaker from Oklahoma and the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary said there is only one thing that we can do to keep this country on an even keel, and that is there is one congressman in the House who can do this and he would be accepted by the Ds and the Rs, and his name was the gentleman from Michigan, Gerald Ford. They took that name down and moved it forward. I want to tell Members, Peter Rodino, when he would see someone that was there during those months from May 1974 to July 1974, he would start off by saying, John, do you remember that day we had so and so come by our office and we had to decide on whether we were going to issue subpoenas or not, or whether we were going to let them bring their testimony forward or whether we could get a bipartisan group of Members to move these hearings forward. {time} 2100 The pundits were all writing, This is ridiculous. This can't be done. Peter Rodino has no experience to bring this kind of a matter to the House of Representatives. It does the House and the Congress and the country a huge disservice. But Peter Rodino, his excellent staff, the Members of both parties gradually, one by one, realized that we had more than enough grounds. As a matter of fact, we had more articles of impeachment. After a while, we stopped raising new articles because they were not necessary. And so I want to tell everybody here that even though I have served under Emanuel Celler and Jack Brooks and Henry Hyde and Jim Sensenbrenner, Peter Rodino was the leader of this committee that I have served on since I have been in the House of Representatives, the committee that protects the Constitution, the committee that promotes civil rights, the committee that has spent all of its time trying to make the Federal criminal code, the laws of the land, the compacts between the States, the Department of Justice oversight that has been within our jurisdiction. Peter Rodino served those noble ends in a way that none of the previous chairmen of this great committee and the Congress have. I will always remember with great pleasure and privilege in the fact that I was able to serve on that committee with this wonderful man. We will always remember the great service that he gave to this country. Mr. PAYNE. Let me thank the gentleman from Michigan for his institutional memory and to really bring alive those trying days when this Nation was on the brink of which way to go. We really appreciate his recounting history. He made it alive again. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the caucus Chair of the Democratic Party. Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my distinguished colleague and friend from New Jersey, particularly as we coshare the great city of Newark in representation in the Congress of the United States and particularly the privilege I have had representing the people of the North and East Ward at Newark North Ward where Peter Rodino lived most of his life, throughout his life, and for organizing this special opportunity. I want to thank the distinguished whip for yielding in the process here because I have an event to go to. Particularly, I want to join in paying honor to a great American and a respected public servant, the late Congressman from New Jersey, Peter Rodino. Though I never had the pleasure of serving with Congressman Rodino in the House, I have tremendous admiration for his work. I have heard from so many of his colleagues who did have the opportunity and the privilege of serving with him as well as from my colleague Donald Payne of his tremendous respect in the House; and certainly from his work, one would understand that. I join today in mourning the loss of a man of wisdom and integrity who spent his long career fighting tough battles to improve the quality of life for the people of his district and the Nation. Like many of his generation, Congressman Rodino's loyal service to his country began in the trenches of World War [[Page 13265]] II, where he fought valiantly and emerged as a decorated war veteran. During his 40-year tenure in the House of Representatives, he served with distinction and established himself as a champion in the fight for social justice and equality for all Americans. Though some may not have viewed him as the most outspoken Member of Congress, Congressman Rodino worked diligently to bring about real social change and let his actions speak instead. He chose his battles wisely and played a critical role in developing historic pieces of legislation in the areas of civil rights, immigration, and fair housing. His vision is imprinted in many legacies that have shaped the future of our country, including the monumental Civil Rights Act of 1964 in which he played a vital role pushing it forward and seeing it become law. In this way and many more, Congressman Rodino served our country far beyond the borders of his constituency. His sense of duty to serve our Nation saw no barriers and no obstacle too great. Just as remarkable as his perseverance to improve civil rights was his fairness during a time of constitutional crisis. Congressman Rodino, as we just heard from our colleague, stepped into the role as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during a precarious moment in our Nation's history. Today in a political atmosphere sharply divided along party lines, we look with even greater admiration at Congressman Rodino, a statesman who was able to use his political acumen to work in a bipartisan fashion during the turbulent era of the Watergate investigation. His calm, nonpartisan leadership approach earned him the respect of people from all political persuasions, and he proved himself to be a steady hand in a sea of storms. History will record that he defended and preserved the Constitution, some may say an ordinary man who performed an extraordinary service for the Nation. His life experiences and extensive career in this Chamber helped him to become one of its great voices of reason. I had the benefit of speaking with Congressman Rodino during the Clinton impeachment trial. After hearing his wise counsel, I was convinced based on that conversation and all of the facts, of course, that there were no grounds for impeachment. I, like many, trusted his insight, and the House was fortunate to have such a thoughtful, perceptive Member. But beyond the longevity of his public service, I was most impressed by his sense of integrity and his commitment to upholding the principles of the Constitution. He was known for carrying around a copy of the document he so admired in his pocket. Not only did he know the principles it embodied inside and out; he lived them. Few of us have the opportunity to witness almost a century of history, but we should all aspire to be so influential in shaping that history. Peter Rodino was a man ahead of his time, who saw beyond the circumstances he came from and beyond the barriers that surrounded him. His vision for this country has made this Nation and the people it protects stronger, and it is a lasting vision we still benefit from today. I, too, would like to offer my sincere condolences to Congressman Rodino's wife, Joy, his two children and extended family. May they find comfort and peace in the memory of this accomplished man who leaves behind a tremendous legacy of greatness. Mr. PAYNE. Let me thank the Democratic Caucus Chair, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), for those kind words. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the minority whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer). Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for yielding, and I am pleased to join so many of my friends from New Jersey who were and are from the State so ably represented for 40 years by Peter Rodino. I note that we are also joined by Charlie Rangel who served side by side with Peter Rodino from an adjoining State and my friends Barney Frank and Howard Berman who have served with such distinction on the Judiciary Committee. I did not know Peter Rodino well. I knew him. I had the privilege of serving with him. I worked for a United States Senator, first a House Member, in 1962. Of course, Mr. Rodino was here at that point in time. But it was not until some 10, 12 years later that he became the famous Peter Rodino. But he was not necessarily perceived to be famous at the outset. His father at the age of 16 came from Italy, had come to the United States. Peter was born in a tenement in Newark. His mother died at age 4. I am sure that most Americans hearing that background would not have said to themselves that this young man will grow up not only to be a Representative in the Congress of the United States but also to represent America's most valued principles, America's bedrock commitment to democracy and its commitment to the fact that no individual, no matter how powerful he or she might be, is above the Constitution or the laws of the United States of America. That in many ways makes us unique. Certainly it makes us different from the autocracies that we see even today around the world. It was Peter Rodino's lot to be called upon to meet the challenge of redeeming once again that promise of American democracy; and short in stature though he may have been, he was tall in stature to meet that challenge. Last month, we lost him at age 95, having served 40 years in this body. Peter Wallace Rodino ably represented the 10th District of New Jersey, 40 years, 4 decades, a long period of time. He was first elected to the 81st Congress in 1948 and reelected 19 times. I believe the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) has been reelected at least 19 times. Mr. RANGEL. Seventeen. Mr. HOYER. Seventeen times. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) has been reelected 19-plus times. We all had the opportunity of serving here with Mr. Whitten who was reelected, I believe, 25 or 26 times, served a half a century. Clearly, Peter Rodino was one of the longest serving. But serving a long time in and of itself simply means that you were able to live and to be reelected. Serving well is the mark of one who served our country, and that is Peter Rodino's legacy. His lead role as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment investigation has been spoken of here, and that is clearly what he will be remembered for. However, he also doggedly, as has also been said, fought for the rights of people, authoring multiple civil rights reports which formed the basis of several landmark civil rights bills. That was in a time when we recall that the Senate was refusing to pass legislation to outlaw lynching. The Senate just a few days ago apologized for that. The House passed a number of bills, but the Senate failed to pass them. Peter Rodino, even at that time, before it became really popular and the thing to do, was standing tall for the rights of individuals. John Conyers spoke eloquently to that just now. The son of an Italian immigrant. How proud Nancy Pelosi, herself a child of a famous Italian family, must have felt in rising to speak about Peter Rodino, an Italian who brought luster to his Italian heritage and to his American citizenship and country. He demonstrated extraordinary determination that characterized so many of his generation. Tom Brokaw called Peter Rodino's generation the greatest generation. Peter Rodino demonstrated that both at war and at peace, on the fields of battle in World War II and on the floor of this House, particularly in the 1970s. For 10 years, he worked days and attended law school at night, graduating from what is now Rutgers law school. {time} 2115 His personal courage, of course, was never in question. He volunteered for service during World War II, as I have said, even though he was too old and could have been exempted. Some lied, of course, and said they were 18 when they were 16 to get in the service. But Peter Rodino, who had served ably at [[Page 13266]] that point in time in his community said, ``send me,'' ``send me,'' to his country. He served in the army from 1941 to 1946, fighting with the First Armored Division in North Africa and in the home of his father's birth, Italy. He was awarded the Bronze Star, a War Cross, and Knight Order of the Crown from Italy. His defining moment, of course, as we have all said was 1974, when he stood up for the Constitution, for the American people, for a way of life, for a continuity of government. Judiciary Chairman Rodino demonstrated wise judgment. ``Wise'' has been used a number of times in referring to Peter Rodino. How appropriate. At a moment of instability and uncertainty for our Nation, which could have been dangerously exacerbated by excessive partisanship or overzealous action, Chairman Rodino brought wise, measured, thoughtful, and honest consideration to this awesome task. This Nation was blessed by God with Peter Rodino, as God has blessed this Nation with many others at times of crisis to stand and serve ably and wisely. I want to say to his family that we share their loss, we thank them for his service, and we will remember our dear and faithful, wise and kind, good colleague, Peter Wallace Rodino. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the minority whip for his participation. I am sure those words are of comfort to the family. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the ranking member on the Committee on Ways and Means, a person who served with Congressman Rodino on the Judiciary Committee. Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for giving us who knew and loved Peter an opportunity to share our views. It has not gone unnoticed that the gentleman from New Jersey has reminded me on a number of occasions that if I had endorsed him earlier, he would have had as much seniority as I have today. But I do recall that he never, ever, in the heat of campaigns, said anything to take away from the integrity of this great American, Peter Rodino. Ironically, even though the chairman of that committee when I first got here was from Brooklyn, I did not know Mannie Celler, but the gentleman from New Jersey knows him, the closeness of Newark and Harlem. I did know Peter Rodino, and during the time I was in the State legislature, he was telling me what the Congress was doing or not doing or should be doing about the international drug trafficking and about the plight that our cities were having with addiction and crime. So when I came here, I was so honored to be on that committee, never knowing that my friend Peter Rodino would be the chairman of that committee in such a short period of time. But Peter really loved this country. He really loved the Judiciary Committee. And I never saw anyone that felt so warmly about his home country. He really was proud of being an Italian and wanted so much to make certain that he brought honor to his people and his community, to his constituents and to the Congress. As I heard the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) say, assuming the chairmanship of that committee in the shadows of Mannie Celler was not an easy thing to do. We were constantly reminded, and I see the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) here, that impeachment did not automatically go to the Judiciary Committee. And more than once the Speaker would say if we did not move on to either impeach President Nixon or get off his back that a special select committee would be called. Every time we came here on Monday, we were beseeched by Members asking us, ``What are you going to do? Get on with it? We are facing an election, and you guys are just on television.'' That was a lot of pressure on Peter Rodino, who had assumed these new responsibilities. There was some testimony that was embargoed but recently was released, which to me said a lot about Peter. It had to do with the tapes that President Nixon had with conversations he had with Haldeman, Erlichman, and Dean. And the President was very concerned about the life expectancy of Thurgood Marshall and went on in his rambling way of talking about people who would not be replacing him based on their color and religion. So he went through blacks, and he went through Jewish people, and then he went through Italians, in a most derogatory way. The way the operation was on the committee was that we would have a transcript, and we would listen to the tape. But when it got to the Italian part of the tape, it was excised in the written transcript and silenced on the tape. But any Member could go to the Chief Counsel to see what was excised, and he had excised that part that spoke against the Italian people and why they should not be expected to get a judgeship because of their backgrounds. I came out and I said, ``Peter, why the heck would you take this off of the tape?'' And he said, ``Because it had nothing to do with the relevancy of whether or not the President of the United States should be impeached.'' And I smiled because that is the integrity of a person, who could have received headlines throughout the country for exposing the President, wanting so much to have due process overcome the prejudices and the partisanship that certainly did not exist as it does today but it was there. And Peter just felt that defaming people in the privacy of the White House did not determine whether or not he had violated the Constitution. Peter Rodino was one heck of a courageous guy and, indeed, rose to the occasion where those of us that were on the committee knew that the wrongdoers in the White House were so afraid that the impeachment of President Nixon will cause havoc not only in the government, but throughout these United States. And when articles were voted, Peter went to the rear of the Judiciary room to call his family and, with tears in his eyes, announced that the President of the United States had Articles of Impeachment voted against him. A lot of people do not know, but Peter became the most popular person not for the decision but because he kept this country together. He kept this Congress together. And a lot of people do not know, but Mario Biaggi knew that a committee was formed to have Peter Rodino as a candidate for Vice President of the United States to run with Jimmy Carter. And we discussed that he got his interview, and that was when Mondale prevailed. But I would suspect that those people who came to this great country forcefully, or because they wanted to get here would have to show that if a guy like Peter Rodino from the streets of Newark could face the international responsibility of stabilizing the world's most powerful government and to come out with the scores that he did as a great American, I know his wife, Joy, and his family would know that this is a great country, Peter Rodino was a great person, and the integrity of this Congress was raised to a level that I do not remember ever reading about since. I want to thank the gentleman (Mr. Payne) and our colleagues for never allowing this world to forget what a person from Newark or Harlem or anywhere in this country, when challenged, they could meet this challenge. I thank Mr. Payne for yielding to me. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for bringing history alive. As we have indicated before, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for America, and I hope that these tapes will be shown in law schools and around the country so students who will take the mantles of government and judiciary positions will know what a wonderful person this was. At this time I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), who also served on the Judiciary Committee with Chairman Rodino, who actually was a resident of New Jersey before moving to Massachusetts. Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding to me. [[Page 13267]] And it is true. I grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey, in the gentleman from New Jersey's (Mr. Menendez) district. And growing up, Peter Rodino was someone for whom I had a great deal of respect, someone whom, as I thought about a political career, I admired enormously, living not far from his district. And then, of course, I watched, as did the whole country, in the 1970s when the impeachment went forward. I was then in the State legislature. I did not, as did the gentleman from Michigan and the gentleman from New York, serve on the committee during impeachment. So when I got here in 1981, having been elected in 1980, and got assigned to the Judiciary Committee, it was really a reinforcement to me of the kind of literally awe-inspiring role I had been lucky enough to take, having known of Peter Rodino when I was in high school. Having watched him perform in that masterfully understated way at the most critical period in the 1970s, and then to be accepted by him as a colleague meant a great deal to me. And sometimes when we meet someone of whom we have a very high opinion, anti-climax sets in. The object of one's admiration does not always live up to it. That was not the case with Peter. I served for 8 years as a member of the Judiciary Committee under his leadership, and it was the legislative process at its best. Peter Rodino had a gentle toughness. He was a man who was in person pleasant, calm, thoughtful. But there was a toughness both in terms of integrity and in terms of commitment to principle that informed that gentleness. And as previous Members have said, he was a great defender of the U.S. Constitution. He was a great believer that our job here was in part to take that marvelous document, the U.S. Constitution, with all of the wonderful principles it set forward, and to complete the job that had only been begun when the Constitution was adopted of extending the benefit of those principles to everybody in this society. Peter understood that the Constitution was a set of aspirations only imperfectly realized at first. And his job, more than anything else, was to help America realize those aspirations and help everybody in America realize those aspirations. And one of the things that is always striking to me is when someone shatters stereotypes. And let us be clear, Peter Rodino, when he got here, faced a number of stereotypes. People make jokes about New Jersey. People make ethnic allusions. There is no point in denying this. Peter Rodino faced that. When Peter Rodino was slated to be the chairman of the committee and impeachment was pending, the rumor mill was very active: Oh, we cannot have Rodino do it. Who knows what there will be? Who knows if he can live up to it? Hey, he is a guy from Newark, New Jersey. What do you want to do here? Well, this guy from Newark, New Jersey, who was the subject of a lot of wholly unjustified innuendo, took that job and did it as well as anybody could and did it, as the gentleman from New York, the previous speaker, pointed out, superbly, gave America a lesson in how not to pre-judge people, gave America a lesson in judging people by who they are. Peter also, of course, in addition to that, was a dedicated believer in dealing with the racism that has sadly been the history of this country and in doing with whatever we could do legally to diminish it. {time} 2130 He was a great believer in civil liberties. I will tell my colleagues, in 1981 when I got here and I was originally going to go on the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, as it was then called, because I wanted to deal with housing, Speaker O'Neill said to me, listen, would you go on the Committee on the Judiciary as an additional committee because Peter Rodino has a tough job. He is dealing with a lot of efforts to undermine the Constitution. There are a lot of proposals now to undo decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court protecting civil liberties. I remember at the time saying to the Speaker's emissary, well, you know, I do not know if I want to do that. Those are a lot of tough issues. There are a lot of groups that will be very angry. The answer was, oh, of course, but they do not like you anyway, so you have nothing to lose. I went on that committee, along with a lot of others, including Pat Schroeder and Chuck Schumer, in a tough time under his leadership. I take pride in having been a defender of the constitutional principle and having been a defender of the rights of minorities and of free speech and other things that were under attack. So I am very, very grateful to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for giving us this opportunity and this chance to honor this man. The thing I think best sums it up is he was a man who understood democracy, intellectually and instinctively; and no one I have served with in 25 years was better at making democracy work for the people of this country. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts. At this time I yield to another person who had the privilege to serve with Congressman Rodino on the Committee on the Judiciary, an outstanding attorney, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman). Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for taking out this Special Order for those of us who wanted to, but because of the craziness of our own lives, could not attend the funeral; and this is the chance to testify for the record of my own affection and love for our former chairman who so many of my colleagues have already spoken of. I do not want to dwell on Peter Rodino's incredible role as chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary during the impeachment of Richard Nixon. His modesty, his humility, combined with his wisdom and his strength are known to anyone who is alive and aware at that particular time. I want to speak just a moment about the way he treated a new member of the Committee on the Judiciary. When I came to Congress with my colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), in 1982, I was assigned to that Committee on the Judiciary; and I want to speak of Peter Rodino as mentor and as an example. In our first term in Congress, my passion at that particular point was about the State of farm workers in this country. It had been for a long time and, to a great extent, still is. At that time, a major overhaul of our immigration laws known as, in that first Congress, the 98th, the Simpson-Mazzoli Law, was coming through our committee. There was a great deal of controversy, and a particularly contentious part of that bill that bothered me tremendously was the fact that it resurrected the Bracero program, a massive exploitation of U.S. farm workers, displacement of unprotected guest workers at the time who would come in, much like a program that had been discontinued a number of years before. When the bill came to the floor, this, what we referred to as a bracero program, passed as an amendment, and the bill went to conference committee. I was a freshman Member of the House, a member of the Committee on the Judiciary; but because of my concern about the way farm workers were treated, Peter Rodino ensured that Speaker O'Neill put me on the conference committee of that legislation, just for that issue, just for the issue of farm workers and the guest workers program to make my fight against that legislative amendment. Two years later, when the chairman himself took over the legislation, it had died in the conference committee, and I was not unhappy about that. It was clear that the bill was moving, it had momentum, it did some controversial things, but it also did some important things; and it was on its way to passage. But Peter Rodino held up that bill for at least 7 months against the pressures of the Reagan administration, against the pressures of the Senators who had already dealt with the legislation, against constant pressures from both the Republicans and from the House leadership to get the bill moving. [[Page 13268]] He held it up until a few of us, Leon Panetta, Chuck Schumer, and I had negotiated an alternative program to the Bracero program, an adjustment program for farm workers which both protected U.S. workers, protected immigrant farm workers, and gave them a chance to come out of the shadows and into the mainstream of American society. Withstanding that pressure, because of an issue he cared about, was so emblematic of the kind of role that Chairman Rodino played in all kinds of areas, in all kinds of legislation that came before the Committee on the Judiciary. He was, for a mild-mannered and soft-spoken person, he was a very, very strong person; and he could withstand the pressures that come to that Committee on the Judiciary as well as anyone I have ever met. I had a chance to, one of those rare chances you get, people pass away and you wish you had spoken to them and talked to them; I had a chance to talk to him just after he came back from the hospital and probably less than a month or 6 weeks before he passed away, and a chance to tell him what he meant to me and what he had meant to so many people around the country whose work he had benefited; and his record and his performance, his stature will always be remembered by me; but I think by millions of Americans as well. So to his wonderful family I offer my condolences, as have my colleagues; and they should know how well he served his country from the soldier to his post-retirement teaching, and, of course, during his many years in the Congress. Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) who served with Congressman Rodino, and let me thank the gentleman from California for his kind words. Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Newark, New Jersey (Mr. Payne), for allowing me to speak this evening, yielding me time, and to thank my colleagues from New Jersey. I am respectful of the hour and will be brief. Let me say it is a great privilege this evening to rise to pay tribute to a legend, and a great honor to help to give word to the celebration of the life of Congressman Peter Rodino, a man whose commitment to the law, as others have said, is legendary, to civil rights, and to his deep-seated belief in the worthiness of every human life. He remains a living testament as we speak this evening. Many here in Washington, certainly the members of the Committee on the Judiciary and others, remember Peter Rodino as a gifted and effective lawmaker, an honorable, wise, and good man. Surely others have talked about his role on the Committee on the Judiciary during the impeachment proceedings when he approached that with utter fairness, resolve, and determination that upheld our Constitution and gave tribute to the American people that he was sent here to represent. But Peter Rodino was also a veteran of World War II and a member of America's Greatest Generation. He lived by the advice given to him by his father, Pellegrino Rodino, grateful for the help he received as a struggling immigrant, as all children of immigrants who serve in this Congress bring the special gifts of life that he bore as a Member. It made him strong. It gave him deep understanding. It equipped him, even probably more than his legal education, for the role that he assumed as chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. Congressman Rodino's father told his young son to always look out for those around him who were less fortunate; and throughout his 40 years in Congress, Peter Rodino did exactly that. He was a founding member of the Italian-American Congressional Delegation, and as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) stated, people of ethnic heritage often face discrimination, and that was surely part of his lot in life. But he, along with many good friends, including Monsignor Gino Baroni, helped to found the National Italian-American Foundation in 1975, a prominent group of leaders from both the public and private sectors who formed the organization in hopes of bringing public attention to the specific Italian-American issues in the Nation's capital here and to provide an umbrella group for the Nation's significant Italian-American population, who wanted to share that immigrant experience and their struggle to be accepted as full Americans. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for creating this time for us this evening to pay tribute to Congressman Rodino. He was a member of the National Italian-American Foundation Board of Directors from 1975 to 1988, was active in their events, and rightfully honored by them in 1988 with a Special Achievement Award in government. This talented man of humble origins upheld our Constitution during his tenure with honor, with kindness, and a sharp eye to the law. He was a man, as I recall him, with no pomp, but a lot of grace as he handled great circumstance. Tonight, I wish to offer, on behalf of the people of Ohio, to his wife, Joy, to their family, deepest sympathy and deepest gratitude for allowing this towering figure to give us a legacy for the Nation that lives. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and thank him so very much for the opportunity to appear and for the courtesy of my colleagues from the committee and from the State of New Jersey for allowing me to speak this evening. Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, today the House is honoring the life of one of it most distinguished Members, former Representative Peter Rodino of New Jersey. Congressman Rodino died on May 7, 2005, and is survived by his wife Joy Rodino, two children, three granddaughters and two great- granddaughters. By the time I entered Congress in 1977, Peter Rodino was a national figure, a household name and someone to whom I looked for guidance as a young Member. He had been one of the main sponsors and a driving force behind Civil Rights legislation in the 1950s and 60s. He was Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings of President Richard Nixon. And he participated in the Iran-Contra hearings during the 1980s. But his friends and colleagues remember more than the fact that he was involved in many of the most important matters that faced the United States in the second half of the 20th Century. Born in 1909, he was a member of the Greatest Generation--serving in the Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II. In war, he received the Bronze Star and was one of the first enlisted men to receive a battlefield commission as an officer. Prior to his service in World War II, Mr. Rodino received his bachelor's degree from the University of Newark and graduated in 1937 from what became Rutgers Law School. Following his 40 years of distinguished service in the House, Mr. Rodino taught at Seton Hall University School of Law. And it was his friends and colleagues at Seton Hall who so aptly eulogized him at his funeral. As Paula Franzese, a law professor there put it: ``None of us will ever forget Peter Rodino because of the way he made us feel. He made us believe.'' So today the House remembers Congressman Peter Rodino, a lover of the Constitution and the law, who meant so much to this body and the Nation, particularly at a time of great turmoil. Those of us who knew him lost a great friend, New Jersey lost a favorite son and the Nation lost a tremendous but humble statesman. Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and service to our country of former Congressman Peter Rodino, one of the nation's finest public servants. I am honored to have served with such a remarkable American, and am humbled to have called him my colleague and friend. From the streets of his beloved Newark, to North Africa and Italy during World War II, to our Nation's capital, Peter Rodino spent his life selflessly striving to help, protect, and serve others, all the while doing so with the utmost dignity and humility. During his twenty terms in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1989, Peter Rodino championed his convictions on civil rights and equal opportunity, no matter what the cost, and was a key sponsor of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. Mr. Speaker, it was his tenure as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee presiding over the Watergate Impeachment hearings that thrust Peter Rodino into the limelight. During this contentious time in which political tensions ran high, his restraint and sensibility [[Page 13269]] quelled unchecked passions on both sides as he served as model of decorum for all. His profound words on the subject, uttered in 1974, still ring true today, and contain the type of foresight that only true leaders posses: ``Whatever the result, whatever we learn or conclude, let us now proceed with such care and decency and thoroughness and honor that the vast majority of American people, and their children after them, will say: That was the right course. There was no other way.'' One of my fondest memories of Peter, Mr. Speaker, was the evening my wife Annette and I spent with him at one of the annual Gymnasium Dinners during the time that he was still serving as a Member of Congress. It was an evening that we will never forget as he reminisced about his extraordinary political career and his personal recollections of Watergate. Mr. Speaker, as public servants let us always remember his words as the highest example of leadership and integrity. Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, this Nation and the great State of New Jersey has lost one of its foremost public servants. Congressman Peter Rodino was a man who truly honored the law, and when the country called on him in time of crisis, Mr. Rodino rose to greatness. I will always remember Peter Rodino for faithfully honoring the values that brought him to prominence in our Nation's history: honesty, humility, patience, and service. Peter Rodino represented the district of New Jersey in which he lived his whole life. Born in Newark, he worked his way through law school and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor during World War II. He continued to serve his country in the House, elected to the 81st Congress in 1949. He served for 40 years, retiring in 1989, and turning his seat over to my friend, the Honorable Donald Payne. Most of us will remember Peter Rodino for his superb leadership of the House Judiciary Committee during the Nixon Impeachment Hearings. His patient and deliberative style gave the proceedings real credibility, and helped to hold the country together at a time of great upheaval. His reverence to the Constitution ensured that the painful and difficult hearings proceeded as our forefathers had envisioned. Peter Rodino was called upon by his country in time of crisis, and he rose to the challenge. Peter Rodino will be sorely missed. In an age of bitter partisanship, Mr. Rodino was a calming voice. He guided the country through one of its darkest periods in recent history, and did so with grace and humility. Mr. Rodino's legacy of service to his country and his fellow man will surely be remembered for years to come. Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor to pay tribute to former judiciary chairman Peter Rodino, he was a champion of civil rights and a beacon of justice during his 40 year tenure in Congress and his 16 years as a Seton Hall Professor of Law. Mr. Rodino was most famous for his handling of the Watergate crisis. All sides--including Democrats, Republicans, and even the national press--hailed Rodino for the fair and just hand he used to guide the impeachment hearings. During this period of crisis, his courage and wisdom provided the foundation of strong leadership that gave Members the confidence to do what was right, even if it meant crossing party lines. The issue became one of preserving the sanctity of the system, rather than preserving the reputation of an individual. Throughout the process, Rodino's commitment to the system never wavered. The son of Italian immigrants, Peter Rodino came of age in Newark, New Jersey. After leaving high school, Congressman Rodino endured 10 years of menial jobs while studying late into the night for a law degree at New Jersey Law School. In 1938 his patience and dedication was rewarded when he joined a local law firm. He put his newly found career on hiatus when he chose to defend his Nation against injustice in World War II. Mr. Rodino's strong character and determination earned him not only a Bronze star, but also a Knight of Order of Crown from Italy--a token of national gratitude for a soldier's accomplishments. Upon return he decided to run for Congress. Although his first attempt failed, his perseverance and strong work ethic served him well, and he was elected to Congress in 1948. A strong advocate of racial equality, he was a driving force behind the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Another accomplishment in the long list of Mr. Rodino's notable achievements was sponsoring the bill that made Columbus Day a national holiday to commemorate the contribution of Italian Americans in the founding of our great Nation. Mr. Rodino also contributed to the legislation that made Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. Though Mr. Rodino will be remembered for so much more than the Watergate crisis, it was undoubtedly his greatest moment. Rodino allowed a moderate central group of both Democrats and Republicans to develop the case for impeachment, preventing it from turning it into any type of political ploy. Just last year, Mr. Rodino gave an interview stating that there are lessons to be learned from Watergate, namely the extent of Government corruption. Mr. Rodino understood that it was the duty of Congress to rein in any administration or individual that was not adhering to the principles of justice. It is with great respect and admiration that I offer my condolences to Mr. Rodino's wife, Joy, and their family. Mr. Rodino is survived by two children, Margaret Stanziale and Peter W. Rodino III, three grandchildren, Carla Prunty, Maria Stanziale and Talia Rodino, and twin great-grandchildren, Annabel and Charlotte Prunty. When asked about her husband, Joy says, ``He was so ahead of his time. He lived civil rights. He lived equality. In his life, he didn't see color, he didn't see sex. He just went for the equality of the person.'' Former Representative Rodino was a man that I was proud to have worked with and honored to call friend. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues to join me in honoring the late Peter Rodino. He was a pioneer for justice in our country and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in paying tribute to a truly exceptional former member of this chamber. Congressman Peter Rodino was an extraordinary man in extraordinary times. The significance and importance of this great individual is immediately evidenced by the words, praises, and acclamations from his colleagues here today. I had the privilege of serving as a member of the House Judiciary Committee under his chairmanship for several years and then experienced the defining moment for his career as he led us through the consideration of articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon. His obvious integrity and steady leadership of the Committee during this period were reassuring to a Nation recoiling from the complicity of a President in the perpetration of criminal acts. When the Nation needed a guiding hand in this national crisis, Peter Rodino steered us with diligence, respect, and thoughtfulness. He is best known for presiding over the impeachment trial of President Nixon. This was not a task that he took lightly nor pursued with great venom. He led the Judiciary Committee cautiously through its deliberation and consideration of the issue. He knew that a partisan approach would be divisive to the country and that Congress should act with all seriousness when reversing the public will. As the chairman, Mr. Rodino ensured that the Judiciary Committee behaved responsibly. He brought his personal gravitas and respect to the hearings and guaranteed that the proceedings were respected by all. When the Congress needed a leader to meet the challenge posed by the Civil Rights Movement, Peter Rodino in his classic style stood up and fought for the civil rights of all Americans. In the 1960s, when the country faced an energized black constituency determined to fulfill the promises of the Constitution, Peter Rodino stood up to defend their civil rights. He was one of the primary sponsors of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1964. From the Civil Rights Act to the Equal Rights Amendment, he supported every significant piece of civil rights legislation that emerged during his tenure in office. He was a supporter of the equality of every citizen and fought to ensure that justice was not denied to any group. Peter Rodino's life was not confined to Congress. He was a proud Italian-American and a dutiful public servant who repeatedly and selflessly gave of his time, experience, and wisdom. Prior to entering Congress, he fought in Italy and Africa during World War II, earning a Bronze Star, and later served with the Italian military, receiving a Knight of Order of Crown. After retiring from Congress, he taught and inspired future lawyers at Seton Hall University Law School. At Seton Hall, the Rodino Law Society continues his legacy of activism, responsibility, and duty and stands as a sign of his commitment to guiding future generations. I am proud to have served with Peter Rodino for 20 years in this chamber. He led by example and respected each member and person he met. He was a member who regularly engaged in both political and personal conversations with members on both sides of aisles. He was a product of his time--a time where civility and respect formed the public character and members regularly chatted with one another about the best interests of this country and their personal lives. As a congressional leader, Peter encouraged Republicans [[Page 13270]] and Democrats alike to interact more, debate the issues of the day, and work towards solving the problems of this Nation. I am glad that this chamber is taking the time to recognize the importance of this wonderful man. I will miss Peter Rodino for all of these reasons and many more. He was clearly an extraordinary man who represented the very best of this Nation. Sometimes I wish there were more Rodinos in this chamber and in our public life. ____________________