[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 22854-22861]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES OF THE HON. HENRY HYDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the previous order of the House,

[[Page 22855]]

the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) is recognized for 45 minutes.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, we meet here today to commemorate the 
service to the United States of our colleague Henry Hyde of Illinois. 
Henry Hyde, from our Sixth Congressional District, currently is 
retiring as the chairman of the House International Relations Committee 
and has become one of the most intellectual and respected Members of 
the House.
  Henry comes from Chicago Earth. Raised as a Catholic and a Democrat, 
he was an all-city basketball center when he went off to college in 
Georgetown and then enlisted in the Navy. Henry Hyde served our country 
in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, serving in the Lingayen 
Gulf and then the Reserves from 1946 to 1968, finally retiring from the 
Navy as a commander. After the war, he finished college and law school 
and practiced law in Chicago and in 1958 switched parties, convinced 
that Republicans were in line with his anti-communist beliefs. He ran 
for the House in 1962 and lost by a six-point margin.
  He then ran for the Illinois House in 1966. He served as the majority 
leader between 1971 and 1972. He ran for Speaker of the Illinois House, 
but didn't make it after a narrow battle.
  Henry was elected to the Congress in 1974, after originally planning 
to run as president of the Cook County Board until Congressman Harold 
Collier told Henry that he was not going to run for Congress again. 
Hyde's first campaign for Congress was against the Cook County State's 
Attorney, Edward Hanrahan, and in that race Henry won by a victory of 
53 percent.
  It was a big Democratic year in 1974, but what a leader the people of 
the Sixth Congressional District elected when they chose Henry Hyde, 
not only as chairman of the International Relations Committee but also 
of the Judiciary Committee and someone who had a key role in expanding 
the fight for freedom and democracy in Central America.
  I first worked closely with Henry Hyde when I served in the United 
States State Department on behalf of the Central American Peace 
Process. It was Henry Hyde, his intellect and his voice, that saw the 
growing danger in Central America. It was Henry Hyde that helped lead 
this House on a bipartisan basis to back the democracy in El Salvador 
in its resistance against a communist-backed insurgency. It was Henry 
Hyde that worked with the Assistant Secretary of State Bernard Aaronson 
to back elections in Nicaragua where for the first time a communist 
dictatorship was lulled into an election and then defeated by the 
people there. It was Henry Hyde that really laid the groundwork in this 
House as a minority Member on behalf of a new pro-democracy strategy in 
Central America that ended all of those terrible wars in El Salvador 
and Nicaragua and in Guatemala, laying the groundwork for peace, the 
Central American Free Trade Agreement, and much greater prosperity and 
security.
  Today, we, his colleagues, mark his service, since 1974 in this House 
of Representatives, as an intellectual leader.
  I would now like to recognize Congressman Ray LaHood for his remarks 
on the service of Henry Hyde to our country.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Thank you, Congressman Kirk. I appreciate the fact that 
you were able to arrange the time for those of us here in the House 
that want to pay high honor to Henry Hyde for his service to our 
country and to the people of Illinois and to the people of the world.
  Certainly his service as chairman of the International Relations 
Committee has been service to not only Illinois and our great country 
but also to people all around the world, because he has become somebody 
who has been an advocate for those who have had little voice in their 
own countries and an advocate for those who have had little voice in 
their opportunities to share in the same kind of democracy that we have 
in this country.
  Illinois has a rich heritage of sending to Washington, DC, 
distinguished Americans, not the least of whom certainly was Abraham 
Lincoln, who served in this House for one term; not the least of whom 
was Everett Dirksen, who served in this House for several terms and 
then went over to the other body; not the least of whom was my 
predecessor, Bob Michel. So I have had the privilege of coming from a 
State that has sent to Washington, DC, men of great honor, great 
integrity, men and women who have served the country so well. And Henry 
will certainly go down in the annals of the history of Illinois, the 
history of our country, as being one of those men.
  A distinguished career here in the House. A career that, unlike 
probably almost any other Member, he has been able to chair two very 
significant committees, the Judiciary Committee for 6 years and because 
of the term limits on our side, he had to give up that chairmanship, 
but he served with great distinction on that committee and handled one 
of the most contentious issues ever to come before the House of 
Representatives in the history of the House, and that was the 
impeachment of a President. And he did it with great integrity, great 
honesty, and in a way that I think distinguished him and distinguished 
the Judiciary Committee and distinguished the House of Representatives. 
As the chairman of the International Relations Committee, he has served 
the House very well and served the Members very well.
  As he retires, tomorrow marks probably the last day for the 109th 
Congress and the last day for Mr. Hyde to have an opportunity to be a 
voting Member of this great deliberative body. I know that so many on 
both sides of the aisle have the highest regard and respect for his 
service here.
  In addition to serving in both important committees, as Chair of 
important committees, Judiciary and International Relations, the one 
thing that I think Congressman Hyde will be remembered for certainly is 
being the loudest and the strongest voice for the unborn, for those who 
have not had a voice, for those who have not had the opportunity to 
have their voice heard. He has been the strongest advocate for what has 
been commonly referred to as the ``Hyde amendment'' that restricts 
Federal funding for abortions. And that issue is an issue that he will 
long be remembered for, along with many other issues, but one that I 
know he is very, very proud of. His service to those who have not had a 
voice but he has given them voice in this House of Representatives.
  So as we say fond farewell to our friend from the northern part of 
Illinois, from the Sixth District of Illinois, we say God speed. We say 
job well done. We say what an honor it has been for those of us not 
only from Illinois but for the entire body to say that we have served 
with a giant, a giant in so many ways, a giant known as Henry J. Hyde, 
the Congressman from the Sixth District, the former chairman of the 
Judiciary Committee, the current chairman of the Committee on 
International Relations, someone who has made a mark in the history of 
the House, made a mark in the history of politics in Illinois, and will 
long be remembered for his distinguished career.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield now to my colleague 
from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Congressman Kirk 
for helping arrange this and my colleagues who are making their way to 
the floor to honor a great friend and a great leader, someone who 
sometimes there are people here who you just don't feel you are worthy 
enough to speak in support of.
  Chairman Hyde has been an ardent spokesman for what is good about 
America. He has been a believer in democracy, in freedom, and the rule 
of law. He has been an outspoken supporter of the right to life and 
protecting those who have no say in our society. And I guess as 
colleagues come to the floor on both sides of the aisle, I think they 
will agree with me that Chairman Hyde is an ideologue but has never 
allowed his ideology to get in the way of his ability to be honorable, 
respectful, thoughtful, open, and in such a way that he has earned 
great respect from this institution.
  Many people have legacies that they leave throughout life in very 
different

[[Page 22856]]

areas of careers. Chairman Hyde's legacy will be one of a conservative 
beliefs and one who put his heart and soul not only into his values and 
beliefs but into this institution. He cherishes it. He loves it. And it 
would be good for us, all Members, to remember the life that Chairman 
Hyde led in his chosen career, field, which is as a legislator at this 
level, and emulate that type of service. And I think we will be well 
served as a Nation to follow Chairman Hyde's lead.
  I wish him the best, God's blessings on him, and thank him for his 
service to this great Nation.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would now like to yield to another admirer 
because Henry had so, so many admirers on both sides of the aisle and 
one of them was our colleague from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to, first of all, thank 
my colleagues, Representatives Kirk and Shimkus from Illinois, for 
giving us the opportunity to take this moment to pay tribute and 
commend the life, the work, and I would even extend to the point of 
saying the legacy, of Chairman Henry Hyde.
  As a matter of fact, Henry's district is next door to mine. His 
district is number six. Mine is number seven. And oftentimes I find 
myself in his community, in his neighborhood. And I sometimes go to an 
eating establishment, that is a restaurant, where he is a legend. And 
generally every time I go in there, someone is exploiting and extolling 
the virtues of Henry Hyde, and they are talking about they remember the 
time when Henry did this, Henry did that. I agree with Representative 
Shimkus that although ideologically bent, Henry has always been a 
gentleman and a scholar, a true gentleman and a pleasant person to work 
with. I am delighted to have served with him, wish him well, and know 
that we are still going to bump into each other occasionally in that 
great restaurant where he likes to eat.
  Have a good time, Henry. We look forward to seeing you.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, we have a number of admirers of Henry Hyde. 
One who served with him longer than almost any other Member in the 
House of the Representatives is my colleague from California, 
Congressman Lungren.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the 
gentleman for yielding.
  It is a privilege and a distinct pleasure to be able to say a few 
words about Henry Hyde, someone I consider to be a friend but also who 
I consider to be part of the institution of the House of 
Representatives and in many ways a true hero.

                              {time}  1515

  We count probably on one hand the number of inspirational people that 
we either have read about in history or have met in person. I count my 
father as one of my heroes. I count Abraham Lincoln as one of my 
heroes. I count Ronald Reagan as one of my heroes, and I count Henry 
Hyde as one of my heroes. Of that group, there is only one with whom I 
was able to serve in the House of Representatives on the Judiciary 
Committee for 10 consecutive years, a number of those years sitting 
directly beside Henry Hyde. He was not only an excellent practitioner 
of the art of politics, but he was a true scholar. If you have ever had 
the opportunity to sit with Henry Hyde as he thinks about a response to 
a question, thinks about a response to an argument that has been made 
on the floor or the committee, you see a man in real thought, in deep 
thought.
  If you have ever had the opportunity to be there when he then began 
his response, you were educated, you were edified, you were inspired by 
what he had to say. And you knew he took it seriously, but he never 
took himself too seriously. We could do no better in this House of 
Representatives as we embark on a new Congress in which the majority 
has shifted, and as we attempt to try and figure out how we treat one 
another, to think of the example of Henry Hyde.
  I can recall in the years when we were in the minority, Henry Hyde 
oftentimes arguing in the well of the House with passion and 
compassion, with intellect, sometimes with a slight bit of humor, 
sometimes even sarcasm, but it was good-natured sarcasm. And as he 
ended, he would go to the other side of the well and seek out his 
opponent and oftentimes give him or her a playful punch in the arm and 
tell them a joke to alleviate the pressure. And that was Henry Hyde, 
fighting for his principles, but always attempting to have a level of 
civility in this House that we desperately need.
  Henry Hyde was here a couple of years before I first came in 1979, 
and he was sitting on the floor of the House with another Member when a 
certain appropriation bill came through, and they thought, you know, we 
have been talking about doing something on the issue of the unborn, and 
maybe we ought to put pen to paper and write out an amendment. That was 
the birth of the Hyde amendment, not something that had been done by 
staff, as good as they are, and worked on for months or for years, but 
sitting here on the floor of the House, inspired by the debate that had 
gone on and thinking, you know, maybe I can make a difference by just 
writing out an amendment and sending it up to the Clerk and having it 
read, having it introduced and having it become an issue of prime 
importance on which Members can disagree here; but there is no doubt 
that it, in many ways, focused that debate in a very serious way, and 
it continues to this day.
  I was with Henry Hyde when he thought about the speech given by the 
Governor of New York, Mr. Cuomo, at my alma mater, Notre Dame, about 
the proper role of someone who has faith and seeks to be a politician 
and elected official. And Mario Cuomo's speech at Notre Dame was lauded 
by many across the Nation as the best exposition of one in public life 
attempting to try and make that proper balance between their private 
views and their public views. But Henry was troubled by the overall 
approach that was utilized by Governor Cuomo, and he had the 
opportunity to respond about 2 months later when he spoke to the law 
school at the University of Notre Dame. He later put that speech in a 
small book and it was called ``For Every Idle Silence.'' And it is a 
phrase that suggests that we will be held responsible, not only for 
every act that we do, but for every idle silence we do in the face of a 
moral dispute. If anybody has the occasion to go back and look at that 
speech, it is one of the most profound statements on how one can 
resolve in his or her own mind how you can be faithfully an American 
and faithful to your faith, all at the same time.
  Henry Hyde had that unique ability to bring the force of intellect, 
the power of faith, and unquenchable desire to make sure America stood 
tall, and a profound understanding of the Constitution that you rarely 
see combined in one individual. This place has been ennobled by the 
participation in the debate by Henry Hyde. This place has been honored 
by Henry Hyde's presence here. And while he leaves us as he retires, 
his spirit will not leave. His example will not be in vain. And those 
of us, as we look through troubled times, as we attempt to try and come 
up with a public policy to respond to the threat that some call the war 
on terror and I call the war on Islamofascism, as we attempt to try and 
figure out how do we garner the power of this Nation to respond to that 
threat and at the same time guarantee the protections of civil 
liberties that are enshrined in our Constitution, we could do no better 
than look to Henry Hyde for inspiration.
  And I know that as long as I serve in this body, my model for a 
Member of the House of Representatives will always be Henry Hyde.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, Henry Hyde was known as a strong Republican 
partisan, but he also had a number of bipartisan achievements, one of 
them in backing the assault weapons ban, also in supporting Jesse 
Jackson, Jr. on his effort to build a third airport in Chicago at 
Piaton. And one of the men who have worked with Henry Hyde and seen his 
legacy is my colleague from Illinois, Congressman Lipinski, and I yield 
to him.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Thank you, Congressman Kirk, for the opportunity to 
come today to speak about Henry Hyde, who

[[Page 22857]]

has been a great statesman, who has served his district from Illinois 
and the Nation in such a great manner for so many years. It is a great 
honor to rise to recognize his dedication as a public servant and as a 
skilled legislator, and a real pillar, especially in the foreign policy 
community.
  Since 1975, Congressman Hyde has faithfully served his constituency 
in the Chicagoland area. And all Americans, now, on his retirement, we 
take this opportunity to thank Henry for his outstanding contributions 
and influence on our country.
  Before entering the U.S. House, Representative Hyde served in the 
Illinois General Assembly, beginning in 1966, which I note is the year 
that I was born. So I don't quite remember that, when Henry first 
started serving the State legislature. But he rose in the State 
legislature to the position of majority leader, and he earned a 
reputation as an articulate debater.
  When he was then elected to Congress, he brought his knowledge, his 
skills and his passion to the House to serve our country. In the House 
he has served on the Select Committee on Intelligence, he has chaired 
the Committee on the Judiciary, and currently chairs the Committee on 
International Relations.
  Because of his work, his tenure and his record, the Chicago Tribune 
has called Hyde one of the most respected Members of Congress, and an 
eloquent and intellectual powerhouse.
  Now, I remember back in 1983, my father had first been elected to the 
House. I remember coming here and how thrilled I was to have the 
opportunity to meet Henry Hyde. He was so well known. Everyone knew 
what an articulate man he was and how much passion he had, how much 
knowledge he had; and he was a true statesman. And I really respected 
his position that he took in his fight against the Soviet Union in the 
Cold War. That is something I really respected. And because everybody, 
no matter where they stood on any issue, had so much respect for Henry 
Hyde, it was a thrill back then to meet Henry.
  Now I have had the privilege of serving for 2 years with Henry in the 
House; and I know I have heard, through my 2 years, stories from 
Members and their experiences with Henry over the years. And I have 
talked with Jim Oberstar about the Hyde amendment and how Jim would 
talk with Henry about this and how they worked together to bring forth 
the Hyde amendment.
  Henry is willing to work together to reach consensus and to reach 
important goals for our country. No matter what you thought about where 
he stood on issues, you listened to Henry Hyde because you knew when he 
spoke he would be eloquent, he would have good arguments, and you 
should listen to him.
  Now, I am very happy that I had this opportunity to serve with Henry. 
He has served our Nation so well. He has served the State of Illinois 
so well, and I know that his legacy will certainly reflect his 
commitment to Illinois, to his district, and to our Nation. His 
insights, his passion, and his presence will deeply be missed.
  He truly was also a man of faith, which he brought here and always 
used that; it was always important to what he did in the House. We wish 
Henry all the best in his retirement. And we are all truly grateful for 
his service.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I yield to the majority leader.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, the conference report I am filing is the 
conference report on the nuclear agreement, the India nuclear agreement 
which will be named after our esteemed colleague, Henry Hyde, who is on 
the verge of his retirement.
  When I came here some 16 years ago, I think one of the first meetings 
I had as a Member was with Henry. And I went to Henry because he was 
one of the most respected Members of the House. I thought I could learn 
something from him, and, as importantly, I wanted him to know who I 
was.
  But over the years, I have learned an awful lot from Henry Hyde. And 
I can remember vividly the spring of 1995 when the Republicans had 
taken control of the Congress for the first time in 40 years. We had 
pledged that we would move the Contract with America in the first 100 
days of a Republican Congress. And I don't think any of us realized the 
amount of work that was involved in that contract, nor how much of it 
fell within the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee of which Henry 
Hyde was the new chairman.
  And Mr. Hyde, in his committee, worked tirelessly day and night for 
93 days to produce their part of the Contract with America. And I 
remember sitting in leadership meetings where we were concerned about 
Henry's health during that 93 days. And here it is, some almost 11 
years later, Henry is strong, still with us and still doing a great job 
and producing good work.
  It was an honor for me to serve with Henry Hyde, and I was proud that 
he supported me to be the majority leader. Thinking back some 16 years 
ago, I would have never looked at myself as a potential majority 
leader. I would have been looking towards Henry. But he is a fine man 
and a great asset to this institution.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize one of his 
subcommittee chairmen, Congressman Royce from California.
  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I am rising also to honor Henry Hyde. As 
every Member of the House is aware, Mr. Hyde will be retiring from 
Congress after the end of this year after 32 years of service, not only 
to the people of the State of Illinois, but of service to the people of 
this country.
  Chairman Hyde took over the Committee on International Relations when 
the 107th Congress began; and if we think back to that time, that was 
January of 2001. Most of us weren't thinking that foreign policy would 
soon be at the forefront of Congress's agenda.

                              {time}  1530

  But, of course, not long after that, on September 11, our Nation was 
attacked, and our agenda changed. I know that my colleagues had added 
confidence knowing that Henry Hyde would be leading the Committee on 
International Relations as we confront the terrorist threat. Their 
confidence proved to be well placed.
  Chairman Hyde has said, you know, you want to be thought of well by 
the people you work with. You like to earn their respect. I would like 
that to be my legacy.
  Well, Madam Speaker, that will be the legacy of Chairman Hyde. The 
gentleman from Illinois has earned the respect of his colleagues with 
his hard work, with his fairness, with his intellectual prowess and 
good-natured Irish wit.
  Madam Speaker, it is often said that politics don't stop at the 
water's edge. Chairman Hyde has personified that adage. He is a leader 
for all of us. Other committees in the House, and indeed the Congress 
as a whole, would do well to take their cue from Chairman Henry Hyde. 
The issues being dealt with in our committee, issues of war and peace, 
are just too important to succumb to partisan rancor.
  Though he has been tried at times, Henry Hyde understands that we are 
Americans more than we are Republicans and Democrats. He makes many of 
us a little prouder to serve in Congress.
  Madam Speaker, the House would do well to consider carefully the 
chairman's words delivered earlier this year. I wish the chairman's 
speech, titled ``Perils of the Golden Theory,'' had received greater 
attention than it did. It is profound and poignant, as is usual with 
Henry Hyde.
  Chairman Hyde provided a cautionary note. I am going to quote from 
him for that speech. ``For some, the promotion of democracy promises an 
easy solution to the many difficult problems we face, a guiding light 
on a dimly seen horizon. But I believe the great caution is warranted 
here.''
  The chairman went on, ``But we also have a duty to ourselves and to 
our own interests, the protection and advancement of which may 
sometimes necessitate actions focused on more tangible returns than 
those of altruism. Lashing our interests to the indiscriminate 
promotion of democracy is a tempting but unwarranted strategy,

[[Page 22858]]

more a leap of faith than a sober calculation.''
  The chairman was reminding us that there is no single solution to 
solving the world's complex problems, and that we must challenge 
ourselves to better understand the world, to better understand its 
millenniums of recorded history and culture, if we are to navigate 
these very challenging times.
  Chairman Hyde's message, I believe, was, yes, try to make the world a 
better place, but get there by dealing with the world as it is, not as 
we wish it was to be. It was a speech of a hopeful realist.
  Madam Speaker, we should listen to men who have seen as much in their 
lifetime as Chairman Hyde. While times change, much has remained the 
same since the days that a young Henry Hyde fought for his Nation in 
the Pacific theater, for human nature is immutable. But looking to 
Chairman Hyde for guidance, and I hope we will hear from him in the 
years to come, and should we look to him for guidance, I am sure our 
Nation will be more secure.
  Mr. KIRK. I yield to the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, 
another Henry Hyde aficionado, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is a real honor 
to rise in tribute to a great American statesman, Henry Hyde.
  Madam Speaker, Henry Hyde is somebody that I knew of by reputation 
before I arrived here at Congress in 1993. It has been one of the true 
privileges of my service here to get to know and work with this 
outstanding man. He is known throughout the world in diplomatic circles 
as a great ambassador for the United States, as chairman of the 
International Relations Committee.
  I have had the opportunity to see him in action with Presidents and 
Prime Ministers, to see the kind of respect that he commands from world 
leaders because of his leadership of that committee and because of his 
great concern for the promotion of American interests around the world.
  Those interests are very pure, interests of promoting democracy and 
opportunity, freedom and peace, for people in every corner of the 
globe. I have not had the privilege of serving on the International 
Relations Committee, but I have had the opportunity to serve for 14 
years on the Judiciary Committee with Henry Hyde. Not only is he a 
great statesman on the international stage, but he is clearly also a 
great statesman in promoting and protecting the Constitution of the 
United States, the people's Constitution, as he views it, and as he has 
protected it for many, many years in his service here in the Congress.
  I have, as one of my prize possessions, a gavel that he used during 
the impeachment proceedings with regard to former President Clinton. 
The impeachment proceedings are not a happy or pleasant circumstance, 
and I don't prize the gavel because of the circumstances, but I prize 
it because it was used by Henry Hyde with courage, with integrity and 
with forthrightness and handling, in a very diplomatic and very 
statesmanlike way, what was clearly the most challenging thing that he 
dealt with in his entire career.
  He did it with great dignity. He did it correctly, he did it with 
great sacrifice as well, because he faced bitter, unfair, false attacks 
from many quarters for his facing up to that challenge, and I was proud 
to serve with him on that committee in that regard.
  He is also known as a champion for life in America and around the 
world, and I think that may perhaps be his greatest legacy of all. 
Because to Henry Hyde, life is not just about one issue, abortion or 
any other issue, it is about human dignity and about preserving and 
protecting and giving opportunity to each and every one of us. As a 
young and new Member of Congress, he took me and guided me through many 
challenges when we became the majority party.
  As a member of the Judiciary Committee, a new member of the 
committee, he gave me opportunities to lead the management of 
legislation and amendments here on the floor of the House, and I will 
be forever indebted to Henry Hyde for making my career in the Congress 
greater, and this institution a greater institution because of his 
dedication and service. Thank you.
  Mr. KIRK. I thank the chairman. Pat Durante, who has worked for Henry 
Hyde since 1974, said that Henry is now in the Guinness Book of World 
Records as having done the most number of parades of any sitting Member 
of Congress at that time.
  To mark that service, I yield to my colleague from Illinois (Mr. 
Manzullo), the chairman of the Small Business Committee.
  Mr. MANZULLO. Madam Speaker, it was a scene reminiscent of the 
courtroom scene when Scout was asked by the pastor to stand up when her 
father was leaving the courtroom in To Kill a Mockingbird. When Atticus 
Finch got up to leave, the pastor turned to Scout and said, ``Scout, 
your father is leaving the courtroom. Please stand.'' And everybody 
stood.
  I was a freshman in 1993. Henry Hyde, for some reason procedurally 
had been unable to offer his Hyde amendment. William Natcher from 
Kentucky, who was the chairman of the Appropriations Committee when 
there was tremendous opposition to Mr. Hyde getting the Hyde amendment 
through, and he needed unanimous consent to do that, Mr. Natcher stood 
up and said, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois wishes to offer a 
unanimous consent motion with which I agree heartily. At that point Mr. 
Natcher was looking at everybody on the floor, and Henry Hyde got up, 
and was allowed to offer that amendment, without objection.
  It was indeed the scene from To Kill a Mockingbird, because were it 
not for the significance and importance and now the posterity that he 
will leave with this magnificent gentleman from Illinois, that 
unanimous consent never would have been honored by this body.
  We don't have a lot of Henry Hydes around anymore. This place is less 
for that. But one thing we will always have as he leaves this body, 
being the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, is that spirit, that 
wit, that always gave rise to the fact that when in the midst of 
Members of Congress, somebody yelled out the name ``Congressman,'' we 
all would turn and look at Henry Hyde.
  Mr. KIRK. I thank my colleague from Illinois.
  Madam Speaker, I would just note that the conference report on the 
bill that we just filed, H.R. 5692, is called the Henry J. Hyde United 
States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006.
  To mark that bipartisan spirit of Henry's leadership on our foreign 
policy, that partisanship should end at the water's edge, I recognize 
my colleague, Congressman Faleomavaega.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I do thank my good friend and colleague for giving 
me this opportunity, Madam Speaker. I had to literally run to the 
floor, only to find out that this important piece of legislation is a 
special tribute not only to our colleague, but certainly a special 
friend and a mentor, and what I consider as an institution, an 
institutional, outstanding leader in our Nation, about to retire.
  Madam Speaker, in this conference report I want to express my support 
of the U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Act of 2006, and I commend the 
chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the ranking 
member, Mr. Lantos, of the International Relations Committee, Senator 
Richard Lugar and Senator Joseph Biden, chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate, for moving 
this legislation forward.
  With my time remaining, I wish I had more time, I cannot help but to 
say that we are going to miss one of the most outstanding leaders that 
we have had in our Nation, and I want to pay that special tribute to my 
good friend, and he is like a father to most of us, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hyde), whom I am going to miss very much.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the U.S. and India Nuclear 
Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006 and I commend Chairman Henry Hyde and 
Ranking Member Tom Lantos of

[[Page 22859]]

the House International Relations Committee, and Senators Richard Lugar 
and Joseph Biden, Chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee 
on Foreign Relations, for their leadership in moving this legislation 
forward.
  While some of our critics may argue that India has not signed the 
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPS), I submit that had it not been 
for our country's indifference, or benign neglect, if you will, India 
may have been a member of the nuclear club years ago and our discussion 
about the NPT would be a moot point. To be specific, India had a 
civilian nuclear program in place prior to the NPT being opened for 
signature in 1968 and, at the time, India was only months away from 
possessing nuclear weapons. But, in 1967, the U.S. joined with the 
Soviet Union in crafting a nuclear nonproliferation treaty which to 
this day states that only the United States, Russia, the United 
Kingdom, China, and France are permitted to own nuclear weapons because 
only these five nations possessed nuclear weapons at the time the 
treaty was open for signature.
  Again, India had a civilian nuclear program in place and was only 
months away from possessing nuclear weapons prior to the NPT being 
opened for signature in 1968. But U.S. policy toward India precluded 
India from becoming a member of the exclusive nuclear club and this is 
why I agree with India's position that the NPT is, and has always been, 
flawed and discriminatory.
  In fact, history speaks for itself. In 1962, when China attacked 
India, the U.S. responded by saying it might protect India against a 
future attack. But when China exploded its first nuclear bomb in 1964, 
the U.S. welcomed China as a member of the nuclear club and we also 
supported China's bid to become a permanent member of the United 
Nations Security Council.
  In 1965, when Pakistan attacked India, the U.S. remained neutral 
while China outspokenly supported Pakistan. Concerned for its own 
security and having little reason to rely on the U.S., India announced 
in 1966 that it would produce nuclear weapons and it is little wonder 
that India exploded its first nuclear device in 1974. Recent U.S. State 
Department declassified documents on U.S. foreign policy show that 
India had little choice given the hostile attitude assumed by the 
United States towards India during the Nixon/Kissinger years.
  As we all can agree, India then and India today lives in one of the 
world's toughest regions and it is somewhat Eurocentric for the U.S. to 
treat India as if it is beholden to us for the safety, protection and 
well-being of her people. It is no grand gesture on our part that we 
now offer India civil nuclear cooperation. Instead, U.S.-India civil 
nuclear cooperation is long overdue and, quite frankly, the deal is as 
good for us as it is for India.
  Madam Speaker, I commend President Bush and Prime Minister Singh for 
bringing this initiative to the table. I also applaud the efforts of 
Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns who is the unsung hero of U.S.-
India civil nuclear cooperation. As the lead negotiator for this 
agreement, he has represented this nation's interest with unprecedented 
distinction and I am honored to have worked with him during these 
critical months leading up to today's historic vote.
  I also want to thank Mr. Sanjay Puri who worked in cooperation with 
Under Secretary Burns and Members of the House and Senate to bolster 
support for this agreement since the day it was first announced. I 
commend him for being a part of today's victory and I urge my 
colleagues to vote in favor of the conference report.
  Mr. KIRK. I yield to my colleague, Henry Hyde, a neighbor and 
colleague representing DuPage County, the gentlewoman from Illinois 
(Mrs. Biggert).
  Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding.
  I rise to honor my colleague and friend, Congressman Henry Hyde. I am 
in the district next to Mr. Hyde. But as a freshman I used to say, try 
and get press when your district is sandwiched in between Henry Hyde 
and the Speaker.
  I think the one thing that I just will miss on the House floor about 
Henry is his jokes. Whenever you are feeling blue, whenever you just 
needed a pick-me-up, there was Henry sitting on the aisle and then over 
here. I just would go up, and he would give the joke of his day, which 
always made you feel really good.
  He is always gracious and always ready to give credit to his 
colleagues. One time he used a joke that I used to open speeches with. 
He would always give me credit. He would say, ``as Judy Biggert says,'' 
and then go on with the joke.
  I think that the House needs more Henry Hydes. Probably Congress 
hasn't been so well thought of these days, and lately by the public. 
Our image seems to be a little bit tarnished. But I think Henry Hyde 
has always stood out in this body as a statesman. I can remember coming 
here as a freshman and going to our Republican Conference.
  When he would come in the room, people would stand and clap. He just 
walked into the room, and he has always just stood out like that. I 
think the one thing that we could all really want to do is to follow 
him as far as the statesmanship and not just what people think of us 
politicians. So we are going to miss him, but I think the institution 
has become a better place because Henry Hyde has been here, and we will 
miss him.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hastert), the Speaker of the House, and also a next-door neighbor of 
Henry Hyde in his service.
  Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for taking this 
time and recognizing certainly one of the greatest modern statesmen 
that this House has had the honor of having as one of its Members.
  Henry Hyde is a person who I have got to know in cutting my teeth in 
politics. As a young teacher who decided to take a run for the State 
legislature after about 16 years of teaching, I was, to say, a little 
wet behind the ears. I was a novice. Part of this district that I had 
was DuPage County, which is the land of great Republicans and was 
outside of my home county, but, nonetheless, I had to represent part of 
it.
  Every time that I would go on the dais or the podium, usually late in 
the program, I would follow Henry Hyde. Henry Hyde, of course, was this 
great, well-known statesman, the person who came to Congress in 1972, 
that fought the fights, that was the leader, that carried the banner of 
conservative Republicanism, and I was the schoolteacher who was just 
cutting my teeth.
  I got to learn a little bit from Henry Hyde. I learned that if you 
wanted to keep people's attention, you had to have a little bit of 
humor, you had to keep to the point, you had to be loquacious. Well, I 
never quite learned to be loquacious, but, anyway, Henry had that 
quality, and he still does.
  One of the greatest speeches that I heard just recently was a speech 
honoring Henry Hyde in the City of Chicago. Of course, there were a 
great multitude of supporters and people who have worked with Henry 
over the years present. Henry Hyde took the mike and for about 25 
minutes laid out a wonderful litany of ideas, of challenges, of 
experience that this man has had in politics, from the State of 
Illinois, from the State legislature, then on to Congress and then went 
on to be a national leader and a national spokesman.
  I think our Members from Illinois have learned that this great 
gentleman is not only a great leader, he is certainly a great 
spokesman, but he is a friend, somebody that you can sit down and share 
your concerns with or ask opinions or get a little lesson. Henry is 
that kind of man.
  I am very honored, because Henry Hyde will now be a resident of my 
district. He is going to find a house down along the shores of the Fox 
River in northern Illinois, and I will be honored to have him as one of 
my constituents.
  So to Henry, God love you. We love you. You have been a great leader. 
You have been a person who we are certainly honored to have served with 
and a person who we will hold very, very closely to our hearts for 
years to come.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Coble) may proceed for 5 minutes without prejudice to 
resumption of business.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, 5 months ago a constituent came to me back 
home and said, Oh, Howard, who is the most eloquent Member of the 
Congress? Without hesitation, I replied, Henry Hyde.
  She then asked, Well, who is the most eloquent Member of the Senate? 
I

[[Page 22860]]

said, Oh, when I answered you, I was including the Senate. Henry Hyde 
is the most eloquent Member of the entire Congress.
  I told Henry that story on the floor this week, and he said, Howard, 
that is why I am going to miss you.
  Henry Hyde appointed me to Chair the Judiciary Subcommittee on 
Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, which I did for 6 
years, for three terms. During that time, the ranking Democrat was the 
distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Howard Berman, and as far 
as I can recall, Madam Speaker, neither Howard Berman nor I ever had a 
cross word with Henry Hyde, nor did he have a cross word with Mr. 
Berman or me. I will always remember that, and I thank Henry for having 
named me to chair that subcommittee.
  Madam Speaker, I asked him on the floor this week what his plans 
were. Henry replied, I plan to have C-SPAN nearby. Well, he may have C-
SPAN, but C-SPAN will never be the same, Madam Speaker and colleagues, 
without the presence of Henry Hyde, the distinguished gentleman from 
Illinois.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, the House just isn't going to 
be the same without Henry Hyde--one of the rarest, most accomplished 
and most distinguished Members of Congress ever to serve.
  Henry Hyde is a class act. He is a man of deep and abiding faith, he 
is generous to a fault and he has an incisive mind that works 
seamlessly with his incredible sense of humor. He is a man who inspires 
and challenges us to look beyond surface appeal arguments. He is a 
speaker of truth in a society that all too often is willing to accept 
cheap sophism, the plausible and the fraudulent. And Henry Hyde compels 
us to take seriously the admonitions of Holy Scripture to care for the 
downtrodden, the vulnerable and the least of our brethren.
  The Almanac of American Politics has written that Henry Hyde is ``one 
of the most respected and intellectually honest members of the House'' 
and ``has proven himself as one of the most eloquent members of the 
House'' and that his ``speeches are classics.''
  In abortion debates Henry Hyde remains the great defender of children 
and their moms, the champion of the most fundamental of all human 
rights--the right to life. Because of the Hyde amendment countless 
young children and adults walk on this earth today and have an 
opportunity to prosper because they were spared destruction when they 
were most at risk. With malice towards none, Henry Hyde often took to 
this microphone to politely ask us to show compassion and respect--even 
love--for the innocent and inconvenient baby about to be annihilated. 
In one speech here on this floor he stated, ``for over two centuries of 
our national history, we have struggled to create a society of 
inclusion--we keep widening the circle of those for whom we are 
responsible--the aged, the infirm, the poor. Slaves were freed, women 
were enfranchised, civil rights and voting rights acts were passed, our 
public spaces made accessible to the handicapped, Social Security for 
the elderly--all in the name of widening the circle of inclusion and 
protection. This great trajectory in our national history has been 
shattered by Roe v. Wade and its progeny. By denying an entire class of 
human beings the welcome and protection of our laws, we have betrayed 
the best in our tradition. We have also put at risk every life which 
someday someone might find inconvenient. What I ask here today, 
``welcome the little stranger.''
  In another speech on U.S. foreign policy in the 21st century given in 
Committee back in 2001, Henry eloquently summed up the challenges and I 
quote in part ``As a new century opens, the United States finds itself 
at a unique moment, not only in its own history, but in that of the 
world as well. We stand at the pinnacle of power: in virtually every 
area--military, economic, technological, cultural, political--we enjoy 
a primacy that is unprecedented and virtually unchallenged. Our 
potential at times seems unlimited, to some perhaps even permanent. . . 
. But as pleasant as these thoughts may be, I confess that I also see 
much that concerns me. . . . The concern I speak of is the longer-term, 
specifically how well we will use the enormous power we currently 
possess to secure the future for our country and the generations to 
come. The wealth of opportunities we currently possess are not 
permanent; the luxury of choice may be a passing one. To believe that 
we shall always be above the fray, untouched and untouchable by the 
forces of destruction still at work in this world, is a dangerous 
illusion. . . . The principal problem, the one that concerns me the 
most, is that we have no long-term strategy, no practical plan for 
shaping the future. . . . Despite our power, we must resist the 
temptation of believing we can fix every problem, indulge in every 
wish. Part of our strategy must be to decide what we cannot do, what we 
choose not to do, and to ensure that others take up their 
responsibilities. . . . So even as we revel in our good fortune, my 
great hope is that we will use this gift of time to plan for the 
future, unhurried, uncoerced, but mindful of the task at hand, aware 
that our opportunity to do so is a mortal one. The choice is clear: We 
can either shape the future or have it shape us. A century ago, Britain 
stood majestically at the height of her power. Within 40 years, the 
knife was at her throat, and she survived only because the United 
States was there to rescue her. But, Mr. Secretary, as you are well 
aware, there is no one to rescue us. That is why we must think long and 
hard about how we can use the opportunities that Providence and the 
labors of two centuries have provided us to so shape the world that the 
need for rescue never occurs.''
  A Congressman for 32 years, a Chairman for 6 years of the Judiciary 
Committee and for another 6 years Chairman of the International 
Relations Committee, Henry has been a prodigious lawmaker. With uncanny 
skill, determination and grace, he has crafted numerous, historic 
bipartisan laws and common sense policies that have lifted people out 
of poverty, helped alleviate disease, strengthened the U.S. Code to 
protect victims and get the criminals off the streets and has been 
magnificent in his defense of democracy and freedom both here and 
overseas.
  One of his many legislative accomplishments includes his authorship 
of the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a 5-year 
$15 billion plan to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. During 
the debate Chairman Hyde was positively incisive as he compared the 
HIV/AIDS crisis to the Bubonic plague of the 14th century--the black 
death--and challenged us to enact a comprehensive program, which we 
did, to rescue the sick, assist the dying and prevent the contagion 
from spreading.
  Having served with this brilliant one-of-a-kind lawmaker for my 26 
years here, I hope Henry Hyde knows that I--and so many others--will 
truly miss him. He is as irreplaceable as irreplaceable can get.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam. Speaker. I rise to salute one of the greatest 
Members of this body, Henry Hyde.
  Congressman Hyde has a distinguished career in public service, 
beginning with his service in the Navy during World War II. Following 
service in the Illinois General Assembly, Mr. Hyde won election to the 
House of Representatives in 1974, admittedly a tough year for 
Republicans.
  It was not long before Henry's leadership and steadfastness to 
principle became apparent to this House. Henry has been a stalwart 
defender of the rights of the unborn, and has pushed the Congress to 
see clearly the impact of its decisions on the defenseless.
  I have been honored to serve with Henry while he was Chairman of the 
Judiciary Committee, enduring long markups to move the Contract with 
America legislation, equipping our law enforcement with the tools to 
fight terrorism, and combating the scourge of drugs in our society.
  His amiable personality hides an individual who doesn't shy from a 
fight, especially for upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, and 
other interests of the United States.
  He is a true giant in this House. His presence next Congress will be 
missed and I am honored to call him friend.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 32 years of 
service from the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, my friend and 
colleague, Chairman Henry J. Hyde. I am humbled to say that I have 
served the American people alongside a truly great American.
  Though I have only served for a little over a year with him, I have 
grown to admire him for his unwavering commitment to protecting 
innocent life. Mr. Hyde has fought vigorously to protect those who 
cannot protect themselves most notably with the Hyde Amendment in 1976. 
Before taking office, I was President of Right to Life of Greater 
Cincinnati and admired his leadership and guided wisdom.
  I would like to express my sincere appreciation for his commitment to 
principle rather than expediency. He stood up for American values and 
during the Cold War, worked to ensure that America remain that shining 
city on a hill. I am honored and proud to say that I am his colleague.
  The gentleman and his leadership and wisdom will be missed. This 
institution has certainly been blessed by his service. Mr. Chairman, 
congratulations on your retirement and congratulations to you and your 
new bride.

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