[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING STATE REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS TIGUE AS HE RETIRES FROM THE 
           PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE AFTER 26 YEARS OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 8, 2007

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to 
Pennsylvania State Rep. Thomas M. Tigue, who retired this year after 
serving 26 years in the Pennsylvania Legislature.
  Mr. Tigue represented the 118th Legislative District which includes 
Pittston City, Bear Creek, Buck and Jenkins Townships and Avoca, Bear 
Creek Village, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown and Laflin Boroughs in 
Luzerne County and Chestnuthill, Eldred, Polk, Tobyhanna and 
Tunkhannock Townships in Monroe County.
  Mr. Tigue was a member of the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 
1971. He served in the Vietnam War and earned the Silver Star. He was 
later elected to the Pittston Area School Board before being elected to 
the state House in 1980.
  During his tenure as an elected state lawmaker, Mr. Tigue's 
accomplishments included sponsoring the PACE preservation law, securing 
funds to replace the dam at Brady's Lake, working to bring about 
property tax reform and addressing numerous education issues. Mr. Tigue 
was meticulous about being responsive to matters of concern and 
interest to his constituents.
  He frequently advised his younger colleagues in the House to listen 
to voters. He would admonish them to be flexible, put aside partisan 
politics and be willing to compromise to get things done. Mr. Tigue 
believed that voters expect their elected officials to make tough 
decisions.
  Mr. Tigue was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania, to Michael and the late 
Joan Walsh Tigue. He graduated from St. John's High School, Pittston 
and earned a bachelor's degree in public administration from King's 
College in Wilkes-Barre. He was a Legislative Fellow at East 
Stroudsburg University.
  While serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Mr. Tigue 
served as the Democratic chairman of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency 
Preparedness Committees and the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
  Mr. Tigue was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American 
Legion, Marine Corps League, Knights of Columbus, Greater Pittston 
Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Pittston Friendly Sons of St. 
Patrick.
  He is married to the former Dianne Walsh and the couple has four 
children: Thomas, Tracy Ashby, Kristin Lazevnick and Colleen. They also 
have seven grandchildren.
  On a personal note, let me add that it has been an honor and a 
pleasure to work with Tom on countless occasions through the years. I 
could always count on him to be thoroughly informed and willing to do 
the hard work necessary to solve what sometimes appeared to be 
intractable problems. Always a straight shooter, Tom never hesitated to 
tell the hard truth, not always what our constituents wanted to hear. 
His candor is all too uncommon, and his retirement is a great loss to 
the Legislature and to Pennsylvania.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Tigue on a very 
successful career in public service. His commitment to community 
service contributed greatly to improving the quality of life throughout 
northeastern Pennsylvania.

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