[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 27491]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           REMEMBERING ILLINOIS REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ERLENBORN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California). Under 
a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. 
Biggert) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a beloved former 
Congressman from Illinois who passed away October 30, Representative 
John Erlenborn. John was a member of this body for nearly 20 years. 
Throughout his distinguished service in Congress, he became an expert 
on labor and pension issues and helped shape our Nation during a 
formative time in our history.
  Born and raised in suburban Chicago, Mr. Erlenborn enlisted in the 
U.S. Navy as a 17-year-old during World War II. He studied at the 
University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, the University of 
Illinois, and Loyola University in Chicago from which he later received 
his law degree.
  John went on to practice law at a firm he founded before he began his 
life in public service as an assistant state's attorney for Illinois' 
DuPage County. This inspired John to run for elected office. He went on 
to serve for 8 years in the Illinois General Assembly before coming to 
Congress in 1965.
  John earned a spot as the Republican ranking member of the House 
Education and Labor Committee where he became know as Mr. ERISA after 
avidly working to pass the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, 
which created corporate pension plan standards that continue to protect 
American workers today.
  When John retired from Congress in 1985, he did not leave behind his 
compassion and motivation to help those less fortunate than himself. 
Instead of fully enjoying retirement, John continued to give back and 
was appointed to serve on the board of directors and selected to serve 
as president of the Legal Services Corporation Board, committing 
himself to help those who needed legal services, but could not afford 
it. He also served as adjunct faculty member of the Georgetown 
University Law Center.
  John represented what is now my congressional district, the 13th 
district of Illinois. He was committed to helping those in need and 
represented his constituents with honor and integrity.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the service John Erlenborn gave for 
the State of Illinois and our Nation for so many years.
  On behalf of this body, I extend my deepest sympathies to the entire 
Erlenborn family during this difficult time. John Erlenborn lived a 
rich life. He never stopped giving to others even after his tenure in 
Congress, a model for all of us. He will be deeply missed.

                          ____________________