[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15566]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO THOMAS J. MANTON

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 5 
minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Without objection, the 
gentlewoman from California is recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, the members of the New York delegation 
have risen today with great sadness and with great pride in the life 
and service and leadership of our former colleague, Tom Manton.
  When Mr. Rangel announced to the body earlier this evening the sad 
news of Mr. Manton's passing, which, of course, has been heralded in 
the press because he was a big figure in New York, it brought back many 
memories for those of us who served with him. A big, strong Democrat, 
he served with great pride in this body as a way to serve the people of 
his district, which he loved and took great pride in. He worked in a 
very bipartisan way to get the job done for them. I had been a former 
Chair of the California Democratic Party over 20 years ago, so we 
shared that commitment to removing obstacles of participation in the 
political process through the Democratic Party organization which he 
led with great pride for so much of his political life.
  His policy contributions for his district are legendary, and that is 
why he was unbeatable until he just decided he wasn't going to run 
again, and we all know of the legacy that he sent us in the great 
service of Mr. Crowley in the Congress.
  Every person in America who cares about the environment in our 
country owes Mr. Manton a debt of gratitude. During seven terms in 
Congress, Mr. Manton was an important figure on the reauthorization of 
the Superfund program, which promotes the cleanup of uncontrolled and 
abandoned hazardous waste sites. It is very, very important pioneer 
work that he did there.
  It might be of interest to some to know that when he came to 
Congress, he came to replace Geraldine Ferraro, who was designated to 
be the Vice Presidential candidate. So there is a proud tradition from 
this district for many years; and that tradition, of course, continues 
with Mr. Crowley.
  Tommy Manton was a proud Democrat and a proud Irishman, in his 
personal life as well as his public service. He did a great deal as the 
cochairman of the Congressional Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs. He 
helped persuade President Clinton to meet with Gerry Adams, the 
president of the Sinn Fein, the political arm of the Irish Republican 
Army. That was really a step forward in bridge building, trying to find 
solutions and getting the job done.
  He served as a flight navigator in the Marine Corps. He was, again, a 
very patriotic American, who served our country in so many arenas, in 
local government, in the Congress of the United States, as a Marine, as 
a community leader, and in the Democratic Party.
  On behalf of all of the Democrats, I know everyone in the Congress 
extends their deepest sympathy to his family, of whom I know he was 
very, very proud; to Diane, his wife, his widow now, and to their 
children, Cathy, Thomas, Jr., John and Jeanne. I hope it is a comfort 
to you that so many people mourn your loss and are praying for you at 
this sad time, and that it is a comfort to you that these New Yorkers 
take such pride in the life, leadership and service of Tom Manton, who 
himself was a proud New Yorker, a proud Irishman, a proud American.

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