[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF LATE CONGRESSMAN PETER W. 
                              RODINO, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2005

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express our heartfelt condolences 
to the family of the late Congressman Peter W. Rodino, Jr. of New 
Jersey and my sorrow on his passing.
  A man of integrity and humility, Congressman 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 our history for the better.
  By conducting the Watergate impeachment hearings with fairness, Peter 
Rodino ensured that the rule of law prevailed during one of the gravest 
Constitutional crises in our history.
  As the Washington Post noted, he spoke before this House when the 
Watergate impeachment hearings began 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 inestimable.
  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 also left a lasting imprint as a 
distinguished Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and author of 
significant legislation, ranging from civil rights to immigration 
reform to protecting consumers.
  He was a main sponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1966 and authored 
the extension to 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 
anticompetitive mergers.
  He was a legislative and legal giant whose work continues to have a 
profound impact on the lives of Americans.
  Peter Rodino's 4 decades of service in Congress can be exemplified by 
the words of the Constitution that he did so much to protect and 
defend: ``to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice . . . and 
secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.''
  Peter Rodino's passing is a personal loss to me. I was honored to 
have served with him, and he was always very kind to me.
  He was a great source of pride and inspiration to all of us in the 
Italian-American community.
  I hope his wife Joy and his children take comfort in the prayers and 
thoughts of the many whom he inspired and served. We will miss him 
greatly.

                          ____________________