[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23585-23595]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DEATH 
OF THE HONORABLE PAUL E. GILLMOR, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF OHIO

  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 
632) and ask for its immediate consideration.

[[Page 23586]]

  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 632

       Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
     the death of the Honorable Paul E. Gillmor, a Representative 
     from the State of Ohio.
       Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as 
     the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the 
     Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
       Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be 
     authorized and directed to take such steps as may be 
     necessary for carrying out the provisions of these 
     resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection 
     therewith be paid out of applicable accounts of the House.
       Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to 
     the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the 
     deceased.
       Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as 
     a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized for 1 
hour.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my colleague, who is the senior member of the 
Democrat delegation, pending which I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and colleague 
Paul Gillmor of Tiffin, Ohio. Paul Gillmor was a leader in Ohio. He was 
elected five times by his colleagues in the Ohio Senate as a leader and 
was President of the Ohio Senate three times.
  He was a leader here in this House on financial issues, focusing 
effectively on legislation to protect the general public. Additionally, 
Paul's leadership extended beyond Ohio and Congress to his position as 
Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
  His awards from grateful constituents and community groups he 
represented were powerful evidence of Paul's diligent efforts on behalf 
of those who depended on his caring representation on their behalf. 
Five Ohio colleges and universities honored his outstanding leadership 
with honorary degrees.
  In addition, he served his country as a captain in the Air Force with 
active duty during the Vietnam conflict from 1965 to 1966. Ohio 
Wesleyan University and the University of Michigan Law School are proud 
to claim him as an alumnus.

                              {time}  1530

  Our sympathy goes out to Paul's wife, Karen, and his 5 children.
  To those of us who cherished him not only as a colleague, but as a 
friend, we will long remember Paul and will always be grateful that he 
was part of our life.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I would very much like to thank the dean of the Republican delegation 
from Ohio, Congressman Ralph Regula, a dear friend, for helping to 
organize this very special moment tonight in honor of our friend and 
colleague from Ohio, Representative Paul Gillmor, who last evening 
succumbed to a call that will greet us all. We never know the time nor 
the hour.
  I understand that Paul flew back to Washington yesterday with several 
of his colleagues. And sometimes we wonder why things happen the way 
they do, but he was able to speak with several of them upon his return 
to Washington after having spent most of August with his family in 
Ohio. That itself is a gift.
  It is with shock and sadness that we on this side of the aisle extend 
heartfelt sympathy to the Gillmor family. To his wife, Karen, I can't 
tell you how many White House Christmas parties I recall sharing with 
her, our travels to Mexico long before the passage of NAFTA as we 
evaluated the situation on the ground. Those are memories that I will 
hold forever.
  To the five Gillmor children, Paul was a very, very dedicated father. 
I recall one time I was going into Channel 11, our CBS affiliate, I'll 
probably get in trouble for saying this, the other affiliates won't be 
mentioned, even though it didn't happen in their stations, and Paul had 
one of his sons with him that day, and he was so polite. And we were 
talking about where he was going to school. Paul tried to be with his 
family, especially with his younger children, as much as he could.
  He suffered great tragedy in his own life, serving in Vietnam as a 
Captain in the Air Force in that very troubled conflict. I'm sure that 
he carried memories and wounds from that. And then having lost his 
first wife in a tragic automobile accident, having to survive that and 
continue to serve.
  He dedicated his life to public service. Many people I don't think 
realize what a wealthy man he was. He didn't have to be here in the 
Congress. He could have checked out long ago. But in the tradition of 
service that his family represented and very deep, deep roots in 
Buckeye land in Ohio, he served his country not just in the Air Force, 
but in the Ohio Senate where he was the majority leader, and finally, 
the people of the Fifth Congressional District in this House since 
1989, a decade and a half.
  There are many pieces of legislation for which he exhibited 
leadership. One of those dealt with brownfields, a problem well known 
in a State like Ohio, and trying to move legislation in order to 
convert those over for reuse. As a member of the Energy and Commerce 
Committee and Subcommittee Chair during a portion of his career, he 
made a real national contribution there.
  Together, we worked on saving the 180th Tactical Fighter Squadron of 
the Army Air National Guard in our districts. When gerrymandering 
occurred a few years ago and the districts were redrawn, literally, he 
ended up with one half of the airport and I ended up with the other 
half. And I thought, oh, this is interesting. So we were very 
successful in our efforts there. And without question, that particular 
unit, which will be returning to Ohio this week, is returning to a 
facility that he helped to save. One of my memories is that before 
their departure about four months ago, Paul and I were there together 
wishing every single one of the members of that unit Godspeed and a 
quick return to our country.
  There were many times that we spent together in our region of the 
State. Just last week, Paul and I appeared in Findlay, Ohio as a result 
of the tragic 1,000-year flooding that occurred up in our area. 
Congressman Jim Jordan was there as well from Urbana, Ohio. And then 
Paul and I met with Secretary Chertoff. We were planning meetings here 
upon our return here this week. And we talked about the need for FEMA 
to be more responsive to the needs of this region. And we then took an 
Apache helicopter with General Wayt from the Ohio National Guard and we 
flew over to Bucyrus, just the two of us together in that helicopter. 
And we were pointing out different reservoirs and different dams and 
different things that had to be done in order to prevent this type of 
tragedy again. And we met with the mayor of Bucyrus and with the county 
commissioners there and the emergency management officials. We had 
quite a visit. And then Paul and I got back on the Apache helicopter 
and we flew back to Findlay, Ohio where his sister was waiting for him 
at the airport. And they were on to the next stop. I think he was 
headed over to Ottawa, Ohio in his district, which had also been very, 
very badly flooded.
  I see Congressman Jordan over there. I never knew that when we were 
in Findlay, Ohio together, we kind of grabbed hands and tried to deal 
with the flooding in your district as well, that that would be the last 
time that we would do that together.
  So we had many memories that we share of Paul's service. And I offer 
the consolation and the condolences of the people from the Ninth 
Congressional District, which literally wraps its arms around the 
northern part of Paul's district, to his family, to his friends, to his 
colleagues, and to say we are there in dutiful service to do what is 
necessary to transition in these very difficult days and months ahead.
  I want to say personally to Karen, his wife, that I value our 
friendship. And many of us who have reached the age we are know what a 
loss this is, and we are praying for you, we are praying for your 
children, we are praying for your family.

[[Page 23587]]

  I wanted to extend the opportunity for our dear colleague from 
Tennessee, Congressman John Tanner, who is down here on the floor, who 
wanted to offer words on behalf of Paul Gillmor whatever time he wishes 
to consume. I yield him such time.
  Mr. TANNER. Thank you very much, Ms. Kaptur.
  I just felt compelled to come down here. And Mr. Regula, I thank you 
for taking this time.
  I guess I've traveled more with Paul Gillmor than any other Member. 
We have traveled together on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly business 
for at least the last 9 or 10 years, and that's two or three trips a 
year to the parliamentary meetings of NATO. And during that time, not 
only have my wife, Betty Ann, and his wife, Karen, become close 
friends, but I don't have or didn't have a closer friend in Congress 
than Paul Gillmor.
  He was not only an extraordinarily talented individual who made 
people comfortable around him, but he also had a leadership quality 
that I observed up close and personal many, many times in these NATO 
meetings.
  It hasn't been all that easy the last few years. There has been 
unrest in the alliance. And Paul was chairman of the Economics and 
Security Committee during part of that time, and I was a member and 
succeeded him as chairman. And it was an easy transition from the 
standpoint that Paul had gained so much respect from our European 
allies and colleagues that it was easy for us to run that committee in 
a way that I think was constructive.
  He was extraordinarily dedicated to his family. He talked about them 
all the time. And beyond that, he was a man that had a well-grounded 
sense of himself. He was one who not only cared deeply for his family, 
his State and his country, but was willing to go out of his way and 
inconvenience himself time and time again to go the extra mile to try 
to make things better. I feel very privileged to just have known him 
and to be a friend of his, and more importantly, him being a friend of 
mine.
  I'm going to miss him a lot. I know this House will miss him a lot. 
The country will miss him a lot. He is currently serving as North 
American Vice President of NATO PA, and I'm sure that that organization 
will miss him as well.
  Thank you for allowing me this time.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. LaTourette).
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean of our 
delegation for authoring this resolution. I also want to thank our 
Democratic friends from Ohio and Members from other States who I see 
gathering on the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no way to describe today's news about our 
friend, Paul Gillmor, other than shock, a devastating loss to his 
family, to his friends, his colleagues, Ohio and our Nation.
  Unlike a number of the other members of the Ohio delegation, I didn't 
come to Congress through the Ohio legislature, and so I didn't serve 
with Paul in the Ohio legislature, although I knew of him from 
Republican gatherings around the State of Ohio, he also was my mom's 
Congressman. She always told me the story about how excited the people 
were who were up in Lakeside, Marblehead and the Islands that 
Congressman Gillmor was going to come up and share his thoughts. But I 
didn't have the chance to work with him until I arrived here about 13 
years ago. What I found was what I had heard, and that was that 
Congressman Gillmor was a hardworking, smart legislator who loved his 
family, loved his friends, loved this institution and the people he 
served. He was willing to take the time to show a young freshman around 
back in 1995. He was willing to share his vast knowledge of financial 
services with those that didn't quite have the same expertise. If you 
were having a sadness or a joy in your life, he was willing to share in 
that. And he was a wonderful fellow to sit and have dinner with. And 
after dinner, he was a wonderful fellow to sit around with and tell war 
stories. And over the course of the years, many of those stories were 
exaggerated with the passage of time and also the failing of memory, 
but it was always a good time.
  I was reminded by my staff, because I want to talk about Paul's 
family, but I also want to talk about Paul's other family. And my staff 
reminded me, when they learned of Paul's passing today, that we were 
neighbors in the Longworth Building, and my staff told me how lucky we 
were to have a neighbor whose staff was always willing to walk us 
through another clueless day in the 104th Congress. And how you could 
always walk into the lobby, and how he taught us about constituent 
services because you would always find a bowl of Dum Dum suckers 
because the Spangler Candy Company was located in Bryan, Ohio, which 
was in the Congressman's district.
  Our Ohio delegation is poor today with the loss of our friend, 
neighbor and mentor, Paul Gillmor. Our thoughts and prayers are with 
Paul's wife, Karen, his five wonderful children, and also, Mr. Speaker, 
with his Capitol Hill family, many of whom have been with him for many, 
many years and who miss him very badly today.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from 
Ohio, Ms. Sutton, will control the remainder of the gentlewoman from 
Ohio, Ms. Kaptur's time.
  There was no objection.
  Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened today to hear of the 
passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor.
  As a freshman Member of this body, I haven't known Mr. Gillmor as 
long as some of my colleagues who have already spoken and who will, I'm 
sure, rise to speak in moments following my remarks.
  I did have occasion enough to spend time with Mr. Gillmor to know 
what a friendly and unpretentious and likeable man he was. And my 
thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Karen, and his family and his 
friends. I did have the opportunity to serve with Karen in the State 
legislature in Ohio. And Karen, as I said, you're in our thoughts and 
prayers.
  The State of Ohio and the United States Congress have lost a great 
friend. Paul Gillmor devoted his life to serving his community, his 
State and his Nation. From his service in the United States Air Force 
to his tireless efforts on behalf of the people of Ohio in Congress, 
Paul Gillmor always fought hard to make a difference in people's lives. 
We will all miss him greatly. And I am grateful for the opportunity to 
have known him even for the short time that I did.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Barton), chairman of the committee on which Paul served.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Well, the former chairman, the ranking member 
now.
  When I think of Paul Gillmor, I think of two words, ``team player.'' 
Earlier this year, when the Republicans lost the majority, we had to 
downsize the number of Republicans on the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, and I made a decision, as the ranking member, to try not to 
have to kick anybody off the committee and not bump off our junior 
members. So I went to the senior members of the committee and asked if 
there were any volunteers who might want to take a leave of absence to 
allow the junior members not to have to be bumped off, and of course 
Paul Gillmor was one of the ones who volunteered to take a leave of 
absence so he could serve on the Financial Services Committee and keep 
his seniority on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

                              {time}  1545

  Because of that, several of our junior members were able to stay on 
the committee.
  Well, about a month ago, we had a contentious mark-up coming up. Sure 
enough, one of the junior members had a personal family situation that 
they couldn't get out of. They were going to have to take a leave of 
absence. We needed every vote. So I went to Paul, and I said, ``Would 
you be willing to come back on the committee for 1 or 2 days?'' He kind 
of grumped a little bit

[[Page 23588]]

about it, but he said, ``If you need me, I'll be there.'' Not only did 
he come back on the committee, but he offered amendments and was there 
all of the time and didn't complain, whine, moan or groan about how 
tough it was. He was a team player. He did a good job.
  When we were in the majority, Paul was the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, which is not one 
of the more glamorous subcommittees of this Congress. It deals with 
such things as the Superfund and the Clean Water Act and all these 
international treaties. It's a tough job. Paul did it not only with 
good grace, but he did it in an excellent fashion.
  Paul Gillmor is going to be missed as a friend. He is going to be 
missed as a Congressman. He is going to be missed as a statesman for 
this country. My sympathy goes out to his wife, Karen, and his family. 
We will definitely miss the services of the Honorable Paul Gillmor in 
the House of Representatives.
  God bless him, and God bless his family.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Wilson) will control the remainder of the time of the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues here today 
saddened by the death of Paul Gillmor. Paul and I took much the same 
track to come here to Congress in that Paul served diligently for the 
State of Ohio in the Ohio senate. As a matter of fact, he and his wife, 
Karen, both left quite a legacy there and then moved on to Congress. I 
knew Paul, but through other people, so to speak, until I came to 
Congress. I can still remember how welcoming he was to me as another 
Ohio delegate and welcoming me to be here in Congress. I was very 
comfortable when he, Deborah Pryce and I were the Congress people 
hosting a banking financial seminar in Columbus not too many months 
ago, 4, 5 or 6 months ago. It was good to sit with Paul. We sort of 
chatted in between the time.
  One of the things that comes to mind about Paul is that he was my 
sister, Becky's, Congressman. She lives in Henry County in part of his 
district. She is a yellow dog Democrat, but she loved Paul Gillmor. 
Just as recently as last night, before we knew any of this had 
happened, we talked about him at dinner. She said, ``Paul Gillmor 
always listens to us.'' So she felt very proud of her relationship with 
her Congressman.
  I think many people have felt that way about Paul. When this type of 
thing happens, it shows you the compassion and the feeling among us, as 
one body, as one set of people representing America. I think that is 
what makes our country different from others. Paul Gillmor was 
certainly a perfect example of that. So my heart and my sympathy go out 
to his wife, Karen, and his 5 children. Hopefully, they will be able to 
continue the legacy he has set for the Gillmor family.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Ms. Pryce).
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, we all rise in shock and great sadness to mourn the 
death of our friend and colleague, Paul Gillmor. There is really so 
much to honor about his life. He was actually a legislator's 
legislator. Before he came to Capitol Hill, he spent 22 years in the 
Ohio statehouse where he became the senate president for 3 terms. He 
was there during those formative years of his professional life so 
long, and to the extent of which he became a real pro at it, that he 
had an innate sense of the legislative process. He got to know the 
people, because half of this work is getting to know the people.
  He seemed to come by it naturally. We would sit at whip meetings when 
he came to Congress. He would ask all the right questions and get to 
the bottom line in half the time as anyone else. Paul Gillmor really 
knew what he was doing, and he always made it look so effortless.
  He cared about other people. He cared about his staff. He cared about 
his colleagues. He cared about his friends. I didn't know a single soul 
that didn't like Paul Gillmor. And that is saying a lot in this 
business. Paul was a people person. He was a person that others 
gravitated to because he cared about them.
  But he cared about no one more in life than his family. As a Member 
who on occasion myself has missed a vote on the naming of a post office 
or two, I really respect the priorities that Paul Gillmor had about 
putting his family first. That's the right thing to do and that's the 
way Paul did it.
  He has a lot for which Karen, his dear wife, and his family can be 
proud to look back upon as they examine the legacy that he left to 
Ohio, to them, and to our country.
  Once again, we have much to honor in Paul Gillmor's life. Our prayers 
are with his family.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Ohio 
(Mrs. Jones) will control the remainder of the time of the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Wilson).
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would yield time to 
Mr. Obey, the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, such time as he 
may consume.
  Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentlewoman for the time.
  I simply cannot believe that Paul is gone. I first got to know him 
when we both served on a task force to rewrite the code of ethics in 
the nineties. That was not an easy job. Paul's performance was solid. 
It was thoughtful. In all the time that we discussed those issues 
before we brought our recommendations to the floor, I never saw him for 
one moment raise a partisan angle on any ethics question, and I never 
saw him question anyone else's motives.
  What I did see was a man who understood that ethics is important, and 
yet because it involves the rules of the House, it can also be 
exceedingly complicated.
  I never saw Paul take a single cheap shot in all the time that he 
served on that committee. That is one of the reasons that he became one 
of my favorite Republicans in this place, because there are very few 
people on either side of the aisle who aren't willing to take a cheap 
shot at the other side, even if it results in damage to the 
institution. That's where Paul drew the line.
  He didn't mind seeking partisan advantage. That's what all of us try 
to do from time to time. But what he always tried to do, in my 
judgment, was to seek whatever advantage he saw without taking 
advantage of the institution at the same time. That's an important line 
to draw in an institution like this.
  I think we can all be grateful for the job that Paul did for as long 
as God allowed him to do it. I simply cannot believe he is gone.
  I extend my sincere regrets and best wishes to his family and all the 
members of the Ohio delegation.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Tiberi).
  Mr. TIBERI. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, my heart goes out to 
Paul's wife, Karen, and his 5 children.
  As Mr. Obey said, I can't believe it, either. I first met Paul 
Gillmor when he was president of the Ohio senate and served in the 
senate. He had a very distinguished career before having ever come to 
the United States Congress, a career that many would admire, just there 
in our statehouse in Ohio.
  His reputation was as a man of great humility. Something that we all 
could learn a lesson from is Paul Gillmor's humility, the gentleness of 
Paul Gillmor, the way he treated people, the way he loved to serve the 
public of Ohio and northwest Ohio and the constituents he was so proud 
to serve.
  Paul was an Air Force veteran. Many didn't know that. He was a proud 
graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in my district, and, for an 
Ohioan, a proud graduate of the University of Michigan's law school.
  Paul was known around the statehouse as a very gentle person, as a 
man who rose to the top of the political game, but never forgot where 
he came from, a successful politician, a successful public servant, a 
successful businessman.

[[Page 23589]]

  Yesterday I had the opportunity with a couple of other Members, 
Congressman Jordan and Congressman Hobson, to sit in the airport in 
Columbus in the afternoon to chat with Paul as we were coming back to 
Washington, DC.
  I had the added opportunity to spend some time with him on the 
airplane sitting next to him. I will remember Paul in the way that I 
have always known Paul, a very happy warrior, a man who loved what he 
did on a daily basis. He enjoyed August, reaching out to community 
after community in northwest Ohio at town hall meeting after town hall 
meeting, up at the lake with friends and family. He enjoyed August. He 
had a smile on his face. He enjoyed public service. He enjoyed 
representing the people of northwest Ohio.
  That's how I will remember Paul Gillmor. We lost a good friend. Ohio 
lost a native son. And America lost a patriot.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, my first comments are to Karen Gillmor. Karen, I stand 
in your stead. Only 4 years ago, I lost my husband suddenly. All I can 
say to you is hold on to God's unchanging hand. He will help you 
through all of this. And as you think about all the wonderful memories 
and the wonderful opportunities and the blessing that you had to have 
Paul Gillmor in your life. To your sons and daughters, I say the same 
thing. I always talk to my son, and I say, ``Merv, just remember all 
the good times. Remember all the fun you had, all the things you 
learned, and cherish each and every one of them.''
  As a Member of Congress, I rise to speak to honor the life of my 
colleague and friend, Paul Gillmor. Paul and I served on the Committee 
on Financial Services together. When I first came to Congress, Paul 
reminded me of the big bear, kind of a gentle bear. You don't even know 
he is really in the room until he kind of humbles into the room. I 
remember him saying on occasion, Stephanie, Congresswoman Jones, so 
forth and so on.
  I was pleased to have had the opportunity to cosponsor some 
legislation with him with regard to historic preservation. He and I 
both understood the importance of preserving historic buildings in this 
Nation and offered legislation that would have provided tax incentives 
for people to be able to shore up that legislation.
  Unlike Paul, I was not in the legislature when I first came to 
Congress. The advantage of having a colleague and a friend who has had 
some experience in the legislature works greatly. I can remember one 
time at a Financial Services hearing, as usual, I was going at a 
witness. Later Paul said, ``Now, Stephanie, just calm down a little 
bit. It ain't like you're in a courtroom anymore.''
  We're all going to miss Paul Gillmor. The beauty of the United States 
Congress is that it is a bipartisan body where you have Democrats and 
Republicans who are there and who are able to argue or debate their 
particular issue. But the beauty also of a bipartisan body is that you 
have Democrats and Republicans who can get along, who understand the 
importance of raising the issues on behalf of their constituents, but 
also understand the importance of working together.

                              {time}  1600

  I know everyone has already placed into the Record all of Paul's 
background, experience and things that he did to represent the great 
State of Ohio. Again, I stand here as a colleague and a friend to talk 
about my experiences with Paul Gillmor, to record them in my memory, 
and to smile, because at these times it is often hard to smile and lift 
up a time of laughter. But I call upon all of our friends and 
colleagues and his family to look to the good times, to look to all the 
great memories, and, over time, time will heal some of the wounds.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the leader, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the dean of our delegation for 
bringing this resolution to the floor, and thank my colleague from 
Cleveland, Mrs. Jones, for her enlightening remarks and lightening this 
up.
  I was here earlier to announce Paul's passing to the House. I can 
remember the first time I met Paul Gillmor. I was a brand new State 
legislator. It was 1985, and it wasn't at the statehouse; it was down 
the street at the Pewter Mug.
  Now, for those of us who served in the statehouse, we have all been 
to the Pewter Mug. That is where I got to know Paul Gillmor. He was the 
senate president; I was a lowly new house member, and Helen used to 
come over and wait on us. For those who came to the statehouse who went 
to the Pewter Mug, you would remember Helen, because you could never 
forget her, and she would never forget Paul.
  But I got to know Paul Gillmor. In 1986, Paul decided to run for 
Governor in a Republican primary, and I was on his team. As a matter of 
fact, it might have been one of the first political checks I actually 
wrote was to Paul Gillmor when he ran for Governor. Unfortunately, he 
didn't win that primary election, but I really got to know Paul 
Gillmor.
  He really was a public servant who enjoyed what he did, who enjoyed 
representing people, and someone that came to Congress right before I 
did. He came in 1988; I came in 1990. We have been close friends over 
the 17 years that we have worked here together. We worked on a number 
of issues.
  Paul loved to understand what was happening around the world, and he 
certainly did his share of traveling to try to understand what was 
happening. But his work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, his work 
over in the Financial Services Committee will speak for itself.
  But earlier this year, I think it was mentioned by the gentleman from 
Texas, Mr. Barton, earlier this year we lost our majority, we lost a 
number of seats, and Paul Gillmor took the magnanimous step of 
relinquishing his seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee to take a 
seat on the Financial Services Committee to help make room for other 
Members. It was that kind of kindness and consideration that I think 
all of us will remember about Paul Gillmor.
  Karen and the children, our prayers are with you. Paul was a great 
servant, a great friend, and someone who we will all miss.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio, Tim Ryan.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, and I also 
thank our friend, the dean of the delegation, Mr. Regula.
  I would just add for a minute my thoughts and memories of Mr. 
Gillmor. I graduated from Bowling Green State University, so I knew of 
Mr. Gillmor before I even got into politics, because as many of the 
Members from Ohio know, he is a legend in northwest Ohio, especially in 
Bowling Green and especially with the Bowling Green Young Republicans. 
He was very familiar.
  I remember, as we all do, taking the little trolley back and forth 
from the office buildings over here, and for some reason our 
conversations always ended up talking about Ohio State football. Mr. 
Gillmor loved the Buckeyes. He loved going to the Ohio State football 
games. I remember being in the State senate seeing him at the Ohio 
State football games. That is just the kind of guy he was. He loved 
football, he loved his country, he loved his constituents, he loved 
this institution, and he certainly will be missed.
  So from the citizens of the 17th District, we just want to thank Mr. 
Gillmor for his service and send our condolences and our prayers to his 
family and his children and his wife, Karen. And also to say, as Mr. 
Boehner, the minority leader said, he was a gentleman. He was a gentle 
man. In the midst of all the chaos of Washington, DC, his silence and 
his gentleness were very refreshing, and he will be missed.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Bachus).
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio.
  We have heard words about Paul Gillmor, our friend, and one word we

[[Page 23590]]

keep hearing over and over is ``caring.'' He really cared. He cared 
about his family. You would go in his office and you would see the 
pictures of his family.
  He cared about his staff. Mark Wellman, his chief of staff; Dave 
Oxner, great guys. They were sort of a reflection and extension of 
Paul. They were gentlemen. They really did not care about who got the 
credit. They were hard workers. I say to Mark and Dave, I know that you 
are grieving right now.
  Mr. Obey mentioned that he cared about this institution. He truly 
did. He cared about every Member. I never heard him insult another 
Member. I never heard him say something unkind.
  He talked about issues. He felt strongly about issues. The 
brownfields legislation was a great example of how he was very 
tenacious, had very strong feelings. He did that earlier this year on 
the industrial loan companies when, as a small town banker, mainstream 
banker, he felt very strongly that small town banks were being 
disadvantaged. But he never said anything unkind about those who 
opposed his position.
  To his credit, I think part of that kindness, that caring, and also 
his capable leadership, that legislation passed the House 371-16. I 
think brownfields will be part of his legacy, particularly to the 
industrial States, the people of Ohio that he loved; as will the 
industrial loan company legislation, that really will help preserve 
small town mainstream banking.
  He was a banker. I had the privilege of appointing Paul as the 
ranking member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. I never 
regretted that decision. I knew that what Paul cared about was not 
himself or not the glory, but doing what was right for the American 
people. He never disappointed me. I will miss him deeply.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Burgess).
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank 
him for convening this resolution this evening and I thank the Ohio 
delegation for allowing me to be part of this remembrance of the life 
of our friend Paul Gillmor. Like everyone else, I was shocked and 
saddened this morning to hear the news about the loss of our friend.
  We have heard several people talk about Mr. Gillmor and his work on 
the committee. I remember last year in the 109th Congress when he was 
the subcommittee chairman and the work he did on persistent organic 
pollutants. It really was not something I had ever thought about before 
I came to Congress, it really wasn't something I ever campaigned on, 
but Paul had a way of explaining it and making it understandable and 
worked through a very complex issue working with both sides of the 
committee dais to get meaningful legislation passed.
  Then at the end of the 109th Congress, after the election, coming 
back for the 110th Congress, and someone explained to me the arithmetic 
that happens when you lose the majority, and counting on my fingers the 
number of seats we had lost on the Energy and Commerce Committee and I 
was no longer going to be on that committee, and then later Paul came 
to me and said, ``Doc, you are too important on that committee, so I am 
going to stay on Financial Services and I will take a leave from Energy 
and Commerce.''
  You heard Ranking Member Barton mention it. You heard Leader Boehner 
mention it. I was the guy that he let stay on the committee by his 
selfless act of taking a leave of absence from a committee that he 
loved, committee work he loved to do. I thank him so much for giving me 
the opportunity to stay on the committee.
  Of course, we welcomed him back a few weeks ago when we needed that 
extra vote when we were discussing energy legislation. And, sure 
enough, Paul was there not just to be a vote, but he brought amendments 
with him. He tied things up. He behaved just like the Paul Gillmor that 
I had remembered on the committee from the year before.
  So, to his family, I wanted you to know, you had heard me mention 
before how selfless Paul was about giving up a place on the committee. 
I am the guy that he let stay on the committee. I will never forget 
that, and I will always try to live up to his expectations.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our colleague from Ohio 
(Mr. Jordan).
  Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the dean of our delegation.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues from Ohio in expressing great shock 
and sadness at the passing of our friend and neighbor Congressman Paul 
Gillmor.
  As previous speakers have mentioned, Congressman Gillmor was in our 
district last week with the flooding. I had the opportunity to just 
visit with him yesterday, as Congressman Tiberi mentioned as well, at 
the airport before we flew down here. You just can't believe this has 
happened.
  Paul was a husband and a father. He was a proud Republican, an Air 
Force veteran, as others mentioned, with Vietnam era service, and a 
long time congressional leader on international leaders.
  Prior to his distinguished service in Congress, he made his mark in 
the Ohio legislature with an impressive 22-year career in the Ohio 
Senate, and as Congresswoman Pryce mentioned, three terms as senate 
president.
  I had the unique opportunity to work with Paul on issues that 
affected our part of Ohio. I counted on him as a staunch ally in 
promoting the workers and the mission at Lima's Joint Systems 
Manufacturing Center, our tank plant in Lima, Ohio.
  We also shared in challenging times, including the tragic Bluffton 
University bus crash earlier this year, and more recently, as I 
mentioned, the flooding that took place and devastated many areas of 
both of our districts.
  I served with Paul's wife, Karen, in the general assembly, although 
she was on the senate side and I was on the house side, and got to know 
their family a little bit over the years. Our family's prayers are with 
her and the entire Gillmor family as they attempt to find peace in the 
midst of this tragedy.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
remembering one of our own, Paul Gillmor. It is moments like this that 
you realize the fleeting nature of time. Indeed, we truly realize the 
shortness of time and the greatness of eternity. Our thoughts and 
prayers go out to his family, his friends and all of the people that he 
touched during the time he was on this Earth.
  Representative Gillmor was a friend. He was a gentleman who I had the 
pleasure of getting to know as a neighbor. Because we lived across the 
street from each other at one time, there were several occasions that 
we shared a ride home after a long night of votes. During those times, 
I was able to gain a small measure of the man and discovered him to be 
generous, kind, and, above all, considerate.
  The people of Ohio were privileged to have known him as a public 
servant. The Members of Congress were honored to share him as a 
colleague. His friends were rewarded with his company, and his family 
was embraced by his love.
  We will miss Paul and remember our time with him and honor his 
memory. May God give Karen and his children an extra measure of grace 
during this most difficult time.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Ohio, Mrs. Schmidt.
  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened today by the news of 
the loss of my dear friend Paul Gillmor. PG, as many of us called him, 
was a shining example of service and leadership. As president of the 
Ohio senate, he led Ohio through good times and bad times with such 
grace.
  For the last 2 decades, he fought for all Ohioans here in Congress, 
not just those in his own district. During his entire life, Paul 
Gillmor was a true leader, a gentleman and a statesman. Most 
importantly, he was a nice guy, a true friend to all.

[[Page 23591]]

  When I was first elected, he became a mentor to me. I would always 
welcome his kind words on the House floor, ``How is it going, kid?''
  Just as important, he was a great father and a loving husband.

                              {time}  1615

  My prayers go out to his wonderful wife Karen and all of his 
children. Ohio has suffered a great loss. America has suffered a great 
loss. We here in this House have lost a dear friend. May God be with 
you, Paul. Godspeed.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Turner).
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean of our delegation, 
Ralph Regula, for bringing this resolution forward to honor the life of 
Paul Gillmor. We are all deeply saddened by the passing of our dear 
friend, Paul Gillmor.
  I want to tell you one story from when I first got to Congress. Mr. 
Gillmor, as I referred to him, as many have said, had a gentle spirit 
and an informal way and a very accepting way. When I referred to him as 
``Mr. Gillmor,'' he corrected me and said, You're to call me Paul. You 
will hear, as almost everyone comes forward today and eulogizes him, as 
they honor him, they refer to him as he had us refer to him, and that 
is Paul.
  One time we were having dinner and he was talking about some of his 
accomplishments. Brownfields is an area that is very important to me. 
When you look across Ohio and see the number of abandoned factory sites 
and the potential that they represent, Paul told about his work on the 
Brownfields Remediation Act that changed the laws that made it easier 
for those sites to be remediated, and provided tax benefits so that 
capital would be brought to them.
  As you go throughout Ohio today and see abandoned factory sites where 
buildings are being demolished and new buildings and businesses are 
being built, it is to Paul's credit and one of the things he was most 
proud of, that he was able to work to change the laws to help make it 
easier for their sites to be developed.
  He talked about the number of jobs that it brought, not just in 
construction but the jobs that it brought to communities, recognizing 
the impact on families.
  Most recently, Ohio has been plagued by scandals arising from 
predatory lending, and Paul was a leader in trying to help families and 
communities that had been subject to predatory lending, pulling 
together the Ohio delegation to talk about ways we can impact our 
neighborhoods and support laws that could impact families that had been 
subject to predatory lending.
  Paul will be remembered as an effective legislator, and as someone 
who cared deeply for Ohio and for this institution and for his country, 
and had an impact on the lives of Ohioans.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume 
to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding on this very sad 
occasion. I am sad to join my colleagues as we face the very sad news 
regarding the loss of our colleague, Paul Gillmor.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Members of Congress, I rise to pay 
tribute to Paul Gillmor, who passed away suddenly today. I offer my 
deepest condolences to his wife, Karen, to his two daughters, Linda and 
Julie, and his three sons, Paul Michael, Connor, and Adam. How proud he 
was of his children. That was one thing that we used to chat about 
quite regularly. I would hear about the progress of the twins and how 
everybody was doing.
  Congressman Paul Gillmor was an experienced and talented legislator 
who spent much of his life serving his country. His service began in 
the Air Force where he rose to the rank of captain as an Air Force 
Judge Advocate. As a true Ohioan, Congressman Gillmor then served his 
State in public office for more than four decades, first in the Ohio 
State senate where he was elected President of that body, and later 
here in the House where he also served ably and was held in highest 
esteem by his colleagues.
  More interested in policy than in seeking the limelight, Paul Gillmor 
focused his time here in the House squarely on the needs of his 
constituents. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was deeply 
involved in consumer issues, including protecting consumers from unfair 
credit report practices. He also worked to preserve our history by 
supporting and improving sites honoring our Nation's Presidents. As 
vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman Gillmor 
was the highest ranking American in this highly esteemed international 
organization of parliamentary members from the 26 NATO states.
  Congressman Gillmor's passing is a loss for this House and for our 
Nation. It is, of course, a greater loss for his family. I hope it is a 
comfort to them, to Paul's family and friends, that so many people 
mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for us because we also learned of the 
sudden passing of our former colleague, Jennifer Dunn. She was a 
distinguished former Member of Congress from the State of Washington 
and I know we will acknowledge her service and leadership in the 
Congress on another occasion. But getting hit from all sides on this in 
one day is a great loss for the Congress.
  As I yield back to the distinguished gentlewoman, I also want to 
thank her for bringing to the attention of so many Members of Congress 
the passing of Congressman Vanik who served so ably in this body who 
passed away last week. Anyone who knows about international human 
rights knows that Congressman Vanik as part of the Jackson-Vanik 
amendment did so much to free people in the Soviet Union. He made a 
very big difference for Soviet Jewry.
  Ohio has been generous to the country. We mourn the loss of Paul 
Gillmor and Jennifer Dunn and Charles Vanik, who lived until his 90s, 
so God blessed him with that long life.
  God did not give Paul Gillmor a long life, but he gave him a life of 
great quality with a beautiful family and the opportunity to serve a 
State he loved and a country that he was very patriotic about.
  On behalf of all of our colleagues, I extend my deepest sympathy to 
his family.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Chabot).
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I stand with my colleagues today to honor the memory of Paul Gillmor. 
He was really a great guy. He actually ran the first time in 1988 for 
this esteemed institution, for the Congress, the same year I first ran. 
He won and I didn't. But in 1994 I did get to join him here.
  He was one of the guys that, as other Members have said, he was just 
an all around good guy. He really was. You liked to talk to him. For 
some reason, he used to call me Mr. Steve; I don't know why he did 
that. So I started calling him Mr. Paul, and that is the way we 
referred to each other.
  Yesterday evening after we had our votes, we had all come back into 
town from the August recess and we were asking each other what did you 
do over the break, what happened. He was telling me how he had stayed 
pretty close to home. He had worked with his constituents, been with 
his family for some time, and he wanted to know what I had done. I said 
I had done some of those same things, and that I had also had an 
opportunity to go to Darfur where there is probably one of the greatest 
human tragedies that we have seen on Earth in a number of years, and he 
was very interested and wanted to know what we can do to help the 
people in Darfur. So we spent a period of time discussing that right 
outside those doors just last evening. I was just shocked when I 
learned that Paul had passed away suddenly so recently.
  He was somebody that really I think made a difference in this 
institution. As has been mentioned, he loved his Buckeyes. He would 
talk about what they had done and how the game had

[[Page 23592]]

been played and how he couldn't wait to go to the next game. And he 
loved our State of Ohio. He loved the people that he represented. And 
most especially, he loved his family.
  We are all going to miss Paul Gillmor, and we wish the best to his 
wife, Karen, and his five children. God bless you, Paul.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney).
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I 
rise to express my deep sadness to learn of the passing of one of my 
good friends and colleagues, Paul Gillmor.
  Paul was the ranking member of the Financial Institutions 
Subcommittee that I chair, and I had the great privilege of working 
with him on so many important issues throughout the years. In fact, 
this morning at the hearing we were holding on the subprime mortgage 
crisis, I had reserved 4 minutes for Paul to speak and he didn't come 
to the meeting. He was always punctual, and so we sent a staff member 
out to find him and found out the very, very sad news.
  Paul was a distinguished Representative representing Ohio for many 
years. He held some partisan positions as the minority deputy whip; but 
on Financial Services, he was always ready to reach across the aisle 
and to work in a bipartisan way for the safety and soundness of our 
financial institutions and protections of consumer concerns.
  He had a great deal of experience in banking, and in fact had run 
banks back in his home State of Ohio, so he brought the practical 
common sense of having known the business firsthand, and he always had 
valuable insights.
  Just before we broke for our August work period, we had introduced a 
bill together on file freeze and negotiated various aspects that he 
thought was important for the bill. He was an outstanding person.
  He served in Vietnam and he was a distinguished veteran. He served in 
the Air Force and achieved the status of captain. My brother served in 
Vietnam, and we shared conversations about that experience.
  He was an extremely outstanding leader in his home State of Ohio, and 
actually served in the State senate and headed the State senate for 
five terms before becoming elected to Congress.
  My heart goes out to his wife and children. I know I speak for many 
of my colleagues when I say that Paul's presence in this Chamber will 
be deeply, deeply missed. He was an outstanding patriot and outstanding 
Congressman and an outstanding spouse, husband and father. We are all 
deeply, deeply saddened.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Stearns).
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, it is obviously with great sadness that we 
all honor the service of our colleague and friend, Paul Gillmor.
  Paul and I came to Congress the same year. We were in the 101st 
Congress and we were both veterans of the United States Air Force. He 
obviously expressed a great love for this Nation, for this institution, 
and I believe sincerely he brought credit upon all of us.
  This dedication was matched by his love for his family, his wife, 
Karen, his two daughters, Linda and Julie, and his three sons, Paul 
Michael, Connor and Adam. I express my deepest condolences to the 
family.
  I had the opportunity when I first met Paul to talk informally with 
him about his background. He said he was a leader of the senate. Coming 
from the private sector and not understanding the full significance of 
what that meant, I became acutely aware of what it meant when I heard 
him in informal sessions or in meetings where he had a presence about 
him, an aplomb, and also a sincerity, in which he would express his 
ideas in a way that would get to the meat of the issue and cut to the 
chase. And I realized during this, he could do it tactfully. He was not 
a partisan individual. He was bipartisan, in fact. I can't recollect on 
the floor him having a really partisan speech because I think it goes 
to when he was a leader of the senate, he understood to get things 
done, he had to develop consensus. So when he went to a meeting, he 
listened more than he talked and he also stepped forward with the idea 
of what we should do in a very nice way such that most people would 
say, Wow, at the end of the meeting, Paul Gillmor made the most sense.
  Another vignette is when he was in the Speaker's chair. I watched 
when there would be a huge din on the floor, and somehow his voice rose 
to such a crescendo and also a pitch that he could pierce this noise 
and bring order and stability to the House here. I used to watch him 
also with great admiration on how he did this. It was a tribute to his 
leadership and also his background as leader of the senate.
  So I come to the House floor to say his dedication and expertise will 
be greatly missed. He has had 40 years of public service. He 
established a long record of working for average Americans. God bless 
the Gillmor family, and God bless Paul Gillmor.

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) has 2 
minutes.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides have 
5 additional minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Space).
  Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleague for yielding 
the time.
  I'm a first-year lawmaker here in Washington and came in with this 
new majority in a very partisan time in American political history, a 
time where too often we're preoccupied with political bickering, a time 
when we needed more people like Paul Gillmor on this floor.
  Paul befriended me. We, by chance, both flew out of the Columbus 
Airport to and from Washington, so we had a chance to sit and talk 
about nonlegislative matters, about our families, about some of the 
nonpolitical aspects of this job. And Paul was one to give advice, 
despite the fact that we're on the opposite sides of the aisle. He 
provided me, as a good man would, with the wisdom he's obtained, and as 
a freshman, I was very grateful to him for his help.
  I didn't know Paul before being elected to the House last November, 
but we share many mutual friends. Harry Mishel is a dear friend of 
mine, a former president of the Ohio senate, was a good friend of 
Paul's and spoke very highly of Paul. And I think it's a testament to 
the kind of person he is that he would engender that kind of friendship 
and support, regardless of where one stands on the political aisle.
  One other small anecdote that I think sums Paul up. A very good 
friend of mine worked in the Ohio caucus 20 years ago when Paul was 
with the Ohio senate, and recently, this friend returned to Columbus 
and ran into Paul who was there while on break here. And after 20 
years, Paul still remembered this man, not just his last name, but his 
first name, and greeted him as a friend after 20 years.
  That's the kind of man Paul Gillmor was. That's the kind of man I 
will remember, and my deepest and heartfelt condolences from not just 
me but the many good folks of Ohio's 18th District go out to Paul and 
his family. He and they are in our prayers.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Price).
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.
  This is truly a day of great sadness for our conference, for this 
House, for the State of Ohio and, yes, Mr. Speaker, for our Nation.
  Though only in my second term in Congress, I came to know and 
appreciate Paul Gillmor, serving on one of his committees, Financial 
Services, and I came to appreciate him for many different and wonderful 
attributes. He had a warm and gentle temperament, a calm and friendly 
demeanor, a measured and thoughtful reason, a respected

[[Page 23593]]

and a respectful legislator. These and so many other attributes shall 
be missed by one and all.
  I join my colleagues in extending our thoughts and our prayers to his 
constituents, to his friends, and most, to his family. We are truly a 
better Nation because of the service of Paul Gillmor.
  May God rest his soul.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the minority whip.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding and for 
managing this recognition of our colleague Paul Gillmor.
  Like so many people in this room, I've had lots of experiences with 
Paul, and they were all good, whether they were watching him represent 
our country in diplomatic situations in his role leading our NATO 
parliamentary effort, one of the leaders in that effort, or whether it 
was every Thursday when we had the deputy whip meeting and talked about 
where we ought to be going as a conference, where we ought to be going 
as a country.
  I remember Paul said to me one time, he said, you know, that's my 
favorite meeting of the week because that's where we talk about the 
future, and Paul Gillmor was a future-oriented guy who loved his 
family, who loved his country, who loved the concept of public service. 
And he performed that public service well, whether it was years in the 
Ohio State senate or two decades in the U.S. Congress.
  We will truly miss him. We are surprised at his leaving us way too 
early. His contributions would have continued to be great here, and the 
country will suffer from the loss that we feel today.
  I also want to reach out to his family. And as I said, Paul loved his 
country, but he also loved his family. And you didn't have to spend 
much time with him to find out that deep love he had for his sons, for 
his daughters, for his wife and for his extended family. And I 
appreciate him so much, and I'm going to join his family and his 
friends in missing him. His place here will be hard to fill, and his 
contributions have been great.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides have 
an additional 5 minutes each.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield so much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), a good friend of Paul, a good 
friend of our Ohio delegation.
  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember our good friend 
Paul Gillmor. Just yesterday, the three of us rode together in from 
Columbus.
  I saw him in the airport, and I said, Hi, Gillmo. He said, Hi, 
Honorable Dave, and we started to talk, as we did often, because we've 
known each other a long time.
  And I said, What'd you do, and he told me about going to the floods. 
And then we got into boats and he told us about his boat and the times 
he was having on the lake with his children and Karen, and he was 
happy.
  Then we started to talk business, because Paul wasn't just a 
legislator. He was a businessman, too, and he was starting a bank in 
Florida. He says, You want to invest? I said, Well, we've been talking 
about that. So we talked about that for a while, and he was happy, and 
we were all happy. We were colleagues, friends.
  I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Paul Gillmor. When Paul 
Gillmor was president of the senate, I lost an election and got 
appointed to the State senate that Paul Gillmor was president then for 
a few more weeks before we went in the minority, and he helped pick me. 
He picked me, and the newspaper read ``Loser Wins.'' But Paul Gillmor 
set me on the way.
  I've never lost another election, thanks to Paul Gillmor. Paul 
Gillmor was always there, and I think his staff knows that.
  I met a young man then in the State senate named Mark Wellman who was 
working for Paul then. He works with Paul to this day. That's the kind 
of loyalty people had to Paul Gillmor.
  I know of no politician in Ohio today who doesn't have respect for 
Paul Gillmor and wasn't his friend. He transcended partisanship. He had 
his way about the things he had to get done, but it never became 
personal.
  When we were in the legislature, both sides had great respect for 
Paul Gillmor, and we used to meet together and talk about things 
together. Paul Gillmor was a unique person in that respect because 
there's always somebody out there that's got it in for somebody, but 
they didn't have it in for Paul Gillmor because he was what I would 
call a true gentleman.
  We're SAEs and Ralph's an SAE, too, and Paul went to Ohio Wesleyan, 
and I went to Ohio Wesleyan. We went there at the same time. But I 
would meet people when I got in the State senate, and they said, Do you 
know Skip, Skip Gillmor? I said, No, I don't know Skip Gillmor. I know 
Senator Gillmor, but he was Skip Gillmor to all the people at Ohio 
Wesleyan. And they loved him at Ohio Wesleyan, and they still do. One 
of the first calls I got today was from people at Ohio Wesleyan saying 
what do we do. I said I don't know.
  We've lost a good friend. I hope Karen and the children can review 
the statements that have been made about Paul today. It's something 
that is not said about a lot of people. He was a good man, he was a 
great man, and he was a great father to his children, which is the most 
important thing, and we're going to miss him.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I just want to say, 
too, that Paul cared a lot about his staff. He was always a person that 
cared for others, and particularly his staff, and I want the members of 
his staff to know that we understand the great loss that they feel.
  And I guess particularly when I left the Ohio senate, my staff person 
was inherited by Paul, and we used to often talk about Celia Foraker, 
about Celia did this and Celia did that, because we both shared a great 
fondness for her. I know that Paul felt that way about his staff here. 
It's a great loss to his staff to have a Member that had the caring 
concern that he did.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the people of Ohio have 
lost a dedicated public servant and genuine leader today with the 
passing of Congressman Paul Gillmor. As a colleague and friend in the 
House of Representatives, Paul was a strong voice for the needs and 
interests of the people he represented as well as a model of integrity.
  In addition to the almost 20 years he served as a Member of Congress 
and the two decades he spent in the Ohio State Senate, Paul was also a 
veteran of the United States Air Force serving on active duty during 
Vietnam.
  As a fellow member of the Republican Whip Team, I enjoyed sitting 
with Paul at the weekly meetings where he always was perceptive and 
provided insight from his decades of legislative service.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul's family during these 
difficult times.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to the life of 
Congressman Paul Gillmor and offer my sincere condolences to his 
family. My wife and I extend our sympathies to Paul's wife Karen and 
their 5 children. I know that no words can provide comfort during this 
difficult time or shine light on this period of darkness, but please 
know that Paul's family remains in my thoughts and prayers.
  I had the pleasure to work closely with Paul as a Member of both the 
Energy and Commerce Committee and Financial Services Committee for 
nearly 10 years. I got to see first-hand his passion for public 
service, his commitment to the people of Ohio and the earnest way in 
which he approached his job. He truly loved representing his community 
and making a positive difference in their lives and the lives of all 
Americans.
  The 5th District of Ohio was well served with Paul Gillmor in office 
and he will be remembered dearly for his many years of public service.
  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Paul 
Gillmor. Paul was a gentle, compassionate man who will be missed by all 
of us in Congress, as well as by those in his district. Our hearts go 
out to Karen and his children during this difficult time.
  I'm an Ohio native and before redistricting, Paul represented my 
family members in Ohio.
  His wife Karen served on the Heidelberg College Board of Trustees 
with me, and I

[[Page 23594]]

know all the Heidelberg family also mourns his passing. He was an 
ardent supporter of the college.
  Please keep his family in your prayers.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in heartfelt sorrow to mourn 
the passing of the Honorable Paul E. Gillmor, a true friend and a 
wonderful statesman for the people of Ohio. I was greatly saddened when 
I was told the terrible news of his passing this morning. The House of 
Representatives has lost a hardworking leader who was a friend to many 
on both sides of the aisle in this chamber.
  My heart goes out to his wife Karen, and their children Linda, Julie, 
Paul, Adam, and Connor during this difficult time. I will be keeping 
his memory, and his surviving family in my thoughts and prayers. I pray 
for his Washington, DC and Ohio Congressional staffers who have served 
him and the people of the 5th Congressional District of Ohio.
  Congressman Gillmor never forgot his roots and he was always a 
champion for the people who he represented in Congress. He won his 
first primary election for Congress by only 27 votes; the grit and 
determination that carried him to victory on that day never left him 
for the remainder of his service in Congress. When I first arrived to 
the House in 1997, I was instantly impressed with the plain-spoken 
gentleman from Ohio. He leaves behind a strong legacy of service to 
this House. I have lost a friend, and words cannot fully express my 
sorrow in his passing. God Bless.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise with our colleagues today to pay 
tribute to the lifetime of public service of our late colleague Paul 
Gillmor of Ohio.
  I know this House today is in shock at the devastating news of Paul's 
passing just last night. I join in expressing profound sympathy to 
Paul's family--his wife Karen, 2 daughters Linda and Julie, and 3 sons, 
Paul Michael, and twins, Connor and Adam. Our thoughts and prayers are 
with them.
  Paul, who began his 10th term in the House in January, chose a noble 
life of serving his country. A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and 
the University of Michigan Law SchooI, he attained the rank of captain 
while on active duty as an Air Force judge advocate during the Vietnam 
War. Before coming to Congress as the representative of the 5th 
District of Ohio, he diligently served the people of Ohio for 22 years 
in the Ohio Senate. As a state senator, he was unanimously elected 
Republican leader 5 times, and served as president of the Senate for 3 
General Assemblies.
  Paul was a respected member of this House and friend to those on both 
sides of the aisle. He Ioved this institution and worked hard for the 
people of his district and for all Americans not only on national 
issues, but he also was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives 
of the 26 NATO countries to serve as vice president of the NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly.
  Mr. Speaker, in remembering Paul Gillmor and his proud life of public 
service, I am reminded of the words of scripture in Matthew 25: ``Well 
done, good and faithful servant.''
  This House and this Nation will miss the service of Paul Gillmor. God 
bless you, Paul, and God's blessings on your family and many friends 
and constituents in Ohio.
  Mr. WALSH of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend 
and colleague, the Honorable Paul Gillmor.
  Throughout his life Paul was a dedicated servant for the people of 
his home state of Ohio and his country. He proudly served in the United 
States Air Force, attaining the rank of Captain.
  In 1967 Paul began what would become a long and successful political 
career. He served 22 years in the Ohio State Senate, and he served as 
Republican leader 5 times. A classmate of mine, in 1989 he began the 
first of 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives serving the 
people of the 5th District in Ohio. Paul was the senior member of the 
Committee on Financial Services and the Ranking Republican on the 
Financial Institutions Subcommittee. He also served as a member of the 
Subcommittees on Capital Markets and Housing. Paul had a lot of 
responsibilities in serving the second largest district in Ohio, but he 
did so valiantly and with tremendous success, showing that he was a 
true leader. He served 8 terms as a member of the Republican Whip Team, 
including serving as Deputy Minority Whip. Paul was also unanimously 
elected to serve as Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. 
His ability to lead earned Paul great respect amongst his colleagues 
and his constituents.
  His length and success of service was evidence of how he truly 
listened to his constituents and did all that he could to help them. He 
was the consummate professional--always putting the best interests of 
his constituents and his country ahead of partisanship by being willing 
to work across party lines to successfully achieve goals.
  Paul was a soldier, a state senator, and a congressman, but the roles 
he cherished most were that of husband and father. Few things meant 
more to Paul than his constituency, but his family definitely ranked 
number one in his life. Paul's 5 children were his pride and joy. His 
happiest times were spent with his wife and children.
  My deepest heartfelt condolences go out to Paul's wife Karen and his 
children Linda, Julie, Paul Michael, Connor, and Adam. My thoughts and 
prayers and those of my wife Dede are with them at this difficult time, 
and we thank them for sharing Paul with us for so many years. He was a 
wonderful friend and colleague and will be sorely missed.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good 
friend, Representative Paul Gillmor. I learned of his sudden passing on 
Wednesday, and my wife and I are greatly saddened by this news. I offer 
my prayers of support to his wife Karen and their two daughters, Linda 
and Julie and their three sons, Paul Michael and twins Connor and Adam.
  I take great pride in knowing such an honorable gentleman who humbly 
served his country and constituents. Paul began his life of public 
service as a Judge Advocate in the Air Force during the Vietnam 
Conflict from 1965-1966. He continued his service as a State Senator 
for 22 years and was President of the Ohio Senate for 3 General 
Assemblies. Ever since he was first elected to Congress in 1988, he has 
honorably represented his constituents in the most ethical manner. He 
was reelected to each subsequent Congress by substantial margins, 
indicating the trust and confidence his constituents placed in him. He 
served them well and diligently.
  Representative Gillmor and I were both long-time congressional 
representatives to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Paul was 
particularly active in this organization and served several years as 
Chair of the important Economic Committee, and most recently has been 
serving as the Vice Chair of the entire Assembly. In all Assembly 
activities, Representative Gillmor conscientiously and honorably 
represented the interests of the United States.
  Above all, Paul was a good friend, confidante, and advisor to me. He 
was a fountain of wisdom and sage advice, and I deeply appreciated his 
friendship and that of his wife Karen. My wife and I both enjoyed their 
company as we traveled together to NATO meetings to represent the U.S. 
Karen and Paul were particularly proud of their children, and often 
told us about their development and prowess.
  We will all miss Paul, and express our condolences to Karen and the 
children. He made an important mark on the history of our Nation and 
the world. Our country is the better for his participation in the 
Congress and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
  May God bless Karen, the children and all Paul's relatives, and give 
them comfort and strength during this time of sorrow.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a 
great American and a member of this House. Paul E. Gillmor was a 
veteran, lawyer, businessman, and Member of Congress from Ohio.
  Congressman Gillmor, who died on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, was a 
respected member of this body and respected by all who knew him. He was 
actually a legislator's legislator. He was known often to put aside 
partisan politics and reach across the aisle to legislate in a 
bipartisan manner for the best interests of the American people.
  In 1961 he received a bachelor of arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan 
University. Although he was a lifelong Buckeye, Paul Gillmor received a 
law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. From 1965 to 
1996, he served his country in the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate, 
attaining the rank of captain. He married Karen Lako, who also served 
in the Ohio Senate, in 1983. He had 5 children: Daughters Linda and 
Julie and sons Paul and twins Adam and Connor.
  Before he came to Capitol Hill in 1988, he spent 22 years in the Ohio 
statehouse where he became the senate president for three terms. He got 
to know the people, because half of this work is getting to know the 
people. His presence will be greatly missed and we all mourn his loss 
and extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
  More interested in policy than in seeking the limelight, Paul Gillmor 
focused his time here in the House squarely on the needs of his 
constituents. On the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was deeply 
involved in consumer issues, including protecting consumers from unfair 
credit report practices. He also worked to preserve our history by 
supporting and improving sites honoring our Nation's Presidents.

[[Page 23595]]

  Paul Gillmor was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives of 
the 26 NATO countries to serve as Vice President of the NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly. As vice president of the NATO Parliamentary 
Assembly, Congressman Gillmor was the highest ranking American in this 
highly esteemed international organization.
  Most recently, Ohio has been plagued by scandals arising from 
predatory lending, and Representative Gillmor was a leader in trying to 
help families and communities that had been subject to predatory 
lending, pulling together the Ohio delegation to identify ways we can 
impact our neighborhoods and support laws that could impact families 
that had been subject to predatory lending.
  Mr. Speaker, a dear colleague has fallen but he will not be 
forgotten. We are all saddened by our loss but we are happy to have 
served with him. Our prayers and condolences go out to his widow Karen, 
his 5 children, and to thousands of his friends around the Nation. He 
touched so many lives during his career in politics, and he will truly 
be missed by me and the American people.
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of our time.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests and join 
with my colleagues issuing condolences to the Gillmor family, and I 
yield back the balance of my time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is 
ordered on the resolution.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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