[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[Senate]
[Page 33512]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 REMEMBERING REPRESENTATIVE HENRY HYDE

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in honor of 
Representative Henry Hyde, who, as we all know, passed away last 
Thursday. I believe all those who knew Henry will remember him for his 
sincere moral convictions and his dedication to the country.
  Representative Hyde was born in Chicago in 1924. He graduated from 
Georgetown University, where he was a standout on the basketball team 
that made it all the way to the 1943 National Championship game. He 
went on to obtain a law degree from Loyola University.
  Henry was in the Navy during World War II, serving in combat in the 
Philippines. After the war, he served for more than 20 years in the 
Naval Reserve, eventually obtaining the rank of commander.
  In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives where he 
would represent the citizens of the Sixth Congressional District of 
Illinois for 22 years. During his time in the House, he became known as 
a steadfast proponent of the rights of the unborn, authoring the Hyde 
Amendment, which, to this day, ensures that Federal taxpayer funds are 
not used in the performance of abortions. He was also a stalwart 
supporter of our Nation's military and firm believer in the need to 
uphold the rule of law.
  Henry and I had the distinct privilege of having our chairmanships of 
the House and Senate Judiciary Committees overlap for a substantial 
period of time. We worked together on numerous pieces of legislation 
and I always enjoyed the passion and energy he brought to every issue. 
Henry was a very capable legislator and a man of deep convictions. Last 
month, President Bush honored Representative Hyde by awarding him our 
Nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 
During the ceremony, which Henry could not attend due to his declining 
health, the President described Henry as a ``powerful defender of life, 
a leading advocate for a strong national defense, and an unwavering 
voice for liberty, democracy, and free enterprise around the world.''
  While there were times that Representative Hyde found himself in the 
middle of divisive and fiercely partisan debates, I don't think that 
anyone would doubt that he always sought to stand behind his principles 
and to do what he believed was best for our country. I want to express 
my deepest condolences to Representative Hyde's family and my thanks 
for his years of service to our great Nation. He will be sorely missed.

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