[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5448-5453]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEO T. McCARTHY AND EXPRESSING 
                      PROFOUND SORROW ON HIS DEATH

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 180) honoring the life and achievements of Leo T. 
McCarthy and expressing profound sorrow on his death.

[[Page 5449]]

  The Clerk read as follows

                              H. Res. 180

       Whereas Leo McCarthy was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 
     August 15, 1930;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy immigrated to the United States with 
     his parents at the age of three and settled in San Francisco, 
     California;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy earned his undergraduate degree from 
     the University of San Francisco and his law degree from San 
     Francisco Law School;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy served the United States in an 
     intelligence unit of the Strategic Air Command of the United 
     States Air Force from 1951 to 1952 during the Korean War;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected to the San Francisco Board 
     of Supervisors in 1963 and again in 1967;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected to the California Assembly 
     in 1968 and served until 1982;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy led the California Assembly with honor 
     and distinction as its Speaker from 1974 until 1980;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy instituted reforms in the California 
     Assembly to provide more accountability and greater public 
     access;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was a champion of coastal protection 
     and secured passage of the California Coastal Act;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy worked to secure permanent financing 
     for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was elected Lieutenant Governor of the 
     State of California three times, serving from 1982 through 
     1994;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Feminization of 
     Poverty Task Force, comprised of women leaders from business 
     executives to former welfare recipients to develop ways to 
     overcome economic barriers that confront women;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy helped implement the Greater Avenues 
     for Independence (GAIN) program to help welfare recipients 
     move into the workforce;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy collaborated with business leaders and 
     advocates to publish ``Child Care: The Bottom Line'' to 
     educate businesses about the economic and productivity 
     benefits of employer-provided child care;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Nursing Home Patients' 
     Protection Act, which made landmark improvements in the 
     treatment of patients in nursing homes;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy drafted and sponsored a resolution 
     declaring breast cancer an epidemic in California and called 
     for Federal action;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Mammography Quality 
     Assurance Act to create new standards governing mammography 
     facilities and technology;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy worked to promote minority and women-
     owned businesses, publishing and distributing 100,000 copies 
     of the award-winning guide, ``Starting and Succeeding in 
     Business: A Special Publication for Small, Minority, and 
     Women-Owned Businesses'';
       Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Task Force on the 
     Seriously Mentally Ill to develop an alternative service 
     delivery system to assist Californians suffering from severe 
     mental illnesses;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy sponsored the Chemical Safety Act to 
     facilitate toxic waste prevention and cleanup;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy established the Lieutenant Governor's 
     Commission on the Prevention of Hate Violence to investigate 
     the causes of hate crimes and identify innovative ways of 
     promoting tolerance;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy, serving as acting Governor, led the 
     State of California through the initial turmoil of the 1989 
     Loma Prieta earthquake;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy served on the University of California 
     Board of Regents and the California State University Board of 
     Trustees;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was twice a candidate for the United 
     States Senate;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was appointed to the National Gambling 
     Impact Study Commission;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was a beloved mentor to generations of 
     public servants;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy founded the Leo T. McCarthy Center for 
     Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San 
     Francisco;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was, for 51 years, the beloved husband 
     of Jacqueline Burke McCarthy;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy was the father of two daughters and 
     two sons, and grandfather of 11;
       Whereas Leo McCarthy earned the highest respect of the 
     people of California for his record of accomplishment on 
     their behalf; and
       Whereas the House of Representatives has learned of the 
     death of Leo McCarthy on February 5, 2007: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives----
       (1) expresses its profound sorrow and deep condolences to 
     the McCarthy family on the occasion of the death of Leo 
     McCarthy on February 5, 2007; and
       (2) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the family of Leo 
     McCarthy.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, public service is the cornerstone of living 
democracy. That said, I do fervently believe it takes a special person 
to give their life to serve the public. I stand before you to honor an 
individual who, for over 30 years, dedicated his life to public 
servitude, former California Lieutenant Governor, Leo T. McCarthy.
  Lieutenant Governor McCarthy was one who valued what was best for all 
of Californians, not just those that were of means and access. Much of 
this can be attributed to McCarthy's humane beginnings as the child of 
a poor immigrant family. It was during the time McCarthy's father, 
Daniel, opened a pub which became the community haven for the local 
Irish Catholic population, that young McCarthy became smitten with 
service. In his youth, McCarthy engaged in many service-oriented 
activities, which included early studies for the priesthood and service 
within the United States Air Force.
  After earning his law degree, he began a career in politics that 
spanned over three decades. He served first as a member of the 
California Board of Supervisors and, in 1968, won a State assembly 
seat, where he eventually assumed the role of Speaker.
  During his tenure in the California Assembly, McCarthy instituted a 
number of reforms. He reduced the number of oversight committees, 
provided members with bill analysis for floor sessions and provided 
more accountability and greater public access.
  Leo McCarthy was a man on a mission, and in 1982, he ascended to what 
would become the pinnacle of his political career, the role of 
Lieutenant Governor of the State of California. As Lieutenant Governor, 
McCarthy wanted to unify the differing socioeconomic and cultural 
climates of the State. He established the Feminization of Poverty Task 
Force, which was comprised of women from all walks of life to develop 
ways to overcome economic barriers common amongst women and girls.
  He also enacted legislation to better regulate nursing home patients 
and ensure that women had the best possible preventive care. He was an 
advocate for minority and female-owned businesses, and coerced business 
leaders into understanding the economic benefits of work site child 
care facilities.
  When asked to reflect about his years in the public sector, Leo 
McCarthy said, ``I was lucky. I was in a position to make a 
contribution. I felt very fortunate to have played a role. Some days 
were miserable, and some unhappy, but there were a lot of days that 
were great. There was a sense of satisfaction and being helpful to 
people.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Leo McCarthy was a dedicated public servant and long 
time political force in the San Francisco area for decades. It is with 
sad news that we speak about him on the floor today after learning 
about his recent death.
  Throughout his political career, he worked tirelessly on issues such 
as coastal protection, nursing home reform, breast cancer awareness, 
female-owned small businesses, financing for the Bay Area Rapid Transit 
System, employer provided child care and the prevention of hate crimes, 
just to name a few.
  He was born in Auckland, New Zealand and emigrated with his family to

[[Page 5450]]

California at the age of 4. The son of an Irish bar owner, he was 
raised in San Francisco's Mission district and attended St. Ignatius 
College Preparatory.
  Before his political life began, he served his country proudly in the 
Korean war in the U.S. Air Force. He earned his undergraduate degree 
from the University of San Francisco and his law degree from San 
Francisco law school.
  He began his political career as the youngest member of the San 
Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1963 before serving on the California 
Assembly from 1969 to 1982. He honorably led the California Assembly as 
its Speaker from 1974 to 1980. He was elected to a record three terms 
as Lieutenant Governor before retiring from politics in 1994. While 
serving as Lieutenant Governor, he instituted reforms to provide more 
accountability and greater public access. Among his work, he 
established the Feminization of Poverty Task Force comprised of women 
leaders from business executives to former welfare recipients to 
develop ways to overcome economic barriers confronting women. He also 
supported the Greater Avenues for Independence Program to help welfare 
recipients enter the work force.
  After retiring from politics in 1994, his passion and dedication to 
public service continued with the creation of the Leo T. McCarthy 
Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San 
Francisco. The goal of the center is to inspire and equip students for 
lives and careers of ethical public service and serving others. Since 
its inception in the fall of 2001, the McCarthy Center has initiated 
several programs including academic courses, public panels, internship 
programs and faculty-led projects that engage students in the analysis 
of social and political issues. Leo McCarthy's leadership in the center 
spread inspiration throughout all the students and staff involved. It 
exemplified his dedication to his community and to the greater good. He 
will be greatly missed by all those who knew him and worked with him.
  I ask all Members to join me in support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the author of the bill, 
Representative Anna Eshoo from California, be given 5\1/2\ minutes to 
speak.
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague and my 
colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle for being here today to 
pay tribute to really a great and very good man, Leo McCarthy.
  I had the pleasure of knowing Leo for many, many, many years. He was 
not only my mentor; he was my friend. He was dear to my family. But he 
inspired me in public service. I had the privilege of serving as his 
chief of staff of his district office, which was in San Francisco, at 
the time, and I learned so much from him.
  There are so many times, my colleagues, that the closer we get in 
terms of view of someone, the less we may like what we see. With Leo 
McCarthy, the closer I got, the more I saw, the more my respect for him 
was deepened.

                              {time}  1545

  He was a man of the fullest integrity. He was an honest man. An 
honest man. And he made everyone proud of his service to people not 
only in his beloved city of San Francisco but in the entire State of 
California. I think he helped to make California more golden of a 
State.
  He was a policy wonk. He knew exactly why he had gone into government 
service. In all of his years serving on the board of supervisors in the 
city and county of San Francisco to his election to the assembly, the 
California Assembly, to his elevation as Speaker of the California 
Assembly, and then the time that he served as Lieutenant Governor, 
political writers, the people that he served, the counties throughout 
our State, 58 counties and the people that live in them, knew that Leo 
McCarthy's word was golden, that he was there to serve them and that 
that is what motivated him.
  He was a great family man. All the years that he served in 
Sacramento, he drove home every single evening to be with his family in 
San Francisco. It was really the measure of the man. The love of his 
life was Jackie McCarthy, and he always said that she did the hard work 
because she was at home raising four extraordinary children: Sharon, 
Conna, Niall, and Adam. I wish all of my colleagues could have heard 
these four adults pay tribute to their father at St. Ignatius Church at 
the magnificent funeral mass that was in celebration of his good life.
  He was a man filled with faith, and he served at a very early time in 
the minor seminary. And he said to me one day, Anna, that didn't last 
too long. And I responded to him, Leo, it lasted a lifetime. Because he 
blended his faith with the service that he gave to people and he was 
rooted in it.
  When he left public life, he went on, and in the latter years of his 
all too short life, I think, I always wanted Leo to live forever, he 
founded a center at the University of San Francisco, his alma mater 
that he loved so much. And during the funeral mass, the Jesuits paid 
tribute to him. There must have been 30 Jesuits on the alter, the 
archbishop of San Francisco, the former bishop of Oakland, and the 
auxiliary bishop, John Westor, all there to pay tribute to Leo 
McCarthy. That Center for Public Service and the Common Good spoke of 
Leo's desire to help students get involved in public policy at the 
State, at the Federal, and the local levels.
  Leo McCarthy had a singular friend that loved him in unquestioned 
ways. He was his aid when Leo first went to Sacramento as a member of 
the State legislature. He then was elected in his own right to the 
State legislature. He then went on to become the mayor of San 
Francisco. And that man is Art Agnos. Every single day of Leo's too 
long illness, which marked all of last year, and at all other times in 
his life but especially during that difficult time, Art Agnos was by 
Leo's bedside every day, every night.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude by thanking all the members of 
the committee for passing the resolution. It will mean a great deal to 
the family. I thank Josh Andrews in my office. I thank all of my 
colleagues. I know this will mean a great deal to the family.
  And I say to whomever is listening in, God rest Leo McCarthy's noble 
soul.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my 
distinguished colleague from the State of California (Mr. Lewis).
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank very much my colleague 
for yielding me this time.
  I am very, very appreciative of this resolution being on the floor 
today. A phrase oft used in the West would suggest that you should 
``bring us men to match our mountains.'' And in California such men 
have made truly a magnificent difference in the way the far West was 
developed. Leo McCarthy certainly was at the top rank of those leaders.
  I first met Leo McCarthy when he and I were elected to the State 
legislature together. We were classmates and colleagues and friends. A 
supervisor and assemblyman, became Speaker of the House, Lieutenant 
Governor of our State, a magnificent leader who absolutely wallowed in 
the business of public policy. He cared about making a difference on a 
number of issues across the spectrum of those issues that impact 
people's lives. He was a guy who was devoted to his family, as has been 
suggested, but also devoted to public service.
  As we pay tribute to Leo McCarthy today, let us seek other men and 
women who would so serve, for, indeed, he is an example of the very 
best among us and reflects the best of our public affairs.
  Let me say that probably most important to me over the years was the 
fact that Leo, while he played a very significant partisan role, 
absolutely knew in his soul that real solutions did not come by way of 
partisan confrontation. A magnificent leader who I am proud to say was 
my very good friend.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request that Representative Jim Costa of 
California speak for 2 minutes.

[[Page 5451]]


  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chair, ranking members, and 
colleagues, especially those who, like myself, from California had an 
opportunity to serve with Leo McCarthy.
  Leo McCarthy, as has been said, put faith, family, and service as the 
preeminence in his life goals, and he lived them every day by example.
  Leo McCarthy was Speaker when I was first elected to the State 
Assembly in 1978. Those were heady days in California, and Speaker 
McCarthy had a contentious caucus that he had to work with among 
younger members who thought that they oftentimes knew better. But I can 
tell you that from the lessons I learned firsthand from Speaker 
McCarthy, later to be our Lieutenant Governor, was that of being a 
quintessential legislator. He believed in process, he believed in 
transparency, he believed in accountability, and he believed in working 
in bipartisan fashions to solve problems for people of California. And 
because of those facts, Leo McCarthy's speakership was successful.
  I was part of a group that ended up in what often happens within 
political families, a difficult speakership fight, and I chose for 
various reasons not to support Speaker McCarthy. Nonetheless, we 
travailed for over a year. During that entire time, Leo maintained 
class and maintained dignity and attempted to still reach out and bring 
the caucus back together.
  That was not to be, but his legacy was the fact that he always, 
always treated people the way he wanted to be treated himself. And for 
that I would like to join with my colleagues in the memory of a 
tremendous public servant, not only in California but throughout our 
country, Leo T. McCarthy.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my 
distinguished colleague from the State of California (Mr. Dreier).
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  And I want to thank my very distinguished colleague Anna Eshoo for 
authoring this, and I want to congratulate my California colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle for once again coming together to recognize 
public service.
  Mr. Speaker, I never had the opportunity to serve in Sacramento, but 
I did know Leo McCarthy to be an extraordinary public servant. And one 
of the things that is very moving, as I listened to the remarks of my 
colleague from Highland, Mr. Lewis, who was elected with Governor 
McCarthy in 1968 to the California State legislature and as I listened 
to Anna Eshoo, who I had no idea she was his district office 
representative, I was reminded of the fact that public service is a 
very important calling. And as I listened to Ms. Foxx outline the 
service record, although I suspect she never met Leo McCarthy, she went 
through his extraordinary accomplishments.
  As a legislator, I am reminded of the fact that we need to recognize 
that we are here to do the people's business. Yes, we need to have that 
clash of ideas. Yes, it is important that we engage in vigorous debate. 
But at the end of the day, we are here to accomplish very important 
things for the people whom we are honored to represent.
  It was in 1963, as has been pointed out, that he first ran for the 
County Board of Supervisors, and I will say I learned not only that 
Anna Eshoo was his district representative, I had heard that he was 
from New Zealand originally, but then when I heard he was from 
Auckland, I was of course reminded of the old story about the guy who 
got on an airplane to go to Oakland, California, and ended up in 
Auckland, New Zealand. And it sounded like Leo McCarthy actually took 
the reverse route, and I wondered how many times he was headed to 
Oakland that people might have thought that he was going home to 
Auckland.
  But the fact is I had great regard for Leo McCarthy, and I wondered 
why anyone would leave New Zealand, because it is a spectacular spot. 
In fact, I have said on more than a few occasions if I didn't have the 
opportunity to live in the United States of America, New Zealand would 
be the spot that I would live in.
  But having said that, I will simply say that my colleagues, 
Republican and Democrat alike, had great regard for Leo McCarthy and 
his extraordinary public service to the people of California.
  May God rest his soul, and our thoughts and prayers are with his 
wonderful family members. And I know that one of the things Leo 
McCarthy said when asked the question what his greatest accomplishments 
would be, he said it was his family, and so our thoughts and prayers 
are with them.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2\1/2\ minutes for Representative 
Howard L. Berman from California.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Ms. Watson for yielding 
me this time.
  I came to Sacramento as a State assemblyman, elected in 1972, began 
my service in 1973, and had never known Leo McCarthy or met him before 
that time. Already in the California Assembly, a speakership fight was 
brewing between Leo McCarthy and sort of the favored candidate over the 
vacancy which would occur when the Speaker at that time was planning to 
run for Governor and would be giving up his seat. In the course of the 
year and a half between the time I came to Sacramento and the time that 
I voted for Speaker, I got to know someone who was particularly unique 
in terms of public office and public service.
  I would say three words characterize the service of Leo McCarthy in 
all aspects of his public career and, I think, of his personal life: 
probity, energy, and a tremendous level of integrity.
  This was a very unusual public servant. He cared deeply about the 
public interest, about policy, about learning what needed to be known 
to be effective and advocating for policies, about building legislative 
consensus, and about making things happen.
  During the 5 years that he was Speaker in the State Assembly, I had 
the honor of being for 4\1/2\ of those 5\1/2\ years his majority floor 
leader. The end of our legislative careers wasn't quite as good as the 
start of it because we ended up in a speakership fight that got rather 
out of control and 11 months of battle. I think of speakership fights 
in California as war by other means, and that is what we had during 
that time. And, unfortunately, after that time while our relationship 
was civil and friendly, it was never as close as it was before.

                              {time}  1600

  I have never met anybody who made his fundamental decisions on what 
legislation to prioritize, what to push based on a focus on the public 
interest without regard to what a particular lobbyist or a particular 
specialist might push, with a level of integrity and with a level of 
energy, it has already been referenced in terms of his career, that was 
really unique in public office. He really was a very fine man, a very 
youthful man. In fact, his passing is so tragic because of that youth 
and vigor that he always exhibited.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of 
H. Res. 180, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. I request that the Speaker take as much time as she 
desires, Mr. Speaker.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. To 
both of them, thank you for bringing this resolution honoring Leo 
McCarthy to the floor. He was a very special person to us, and I thank 
you. Congresswoman Eshoo, thank you for your leadership in bringing 
this as well.
  I am pleased to join my California colleagues, and others, in singing 
the praises of one great man, Leo McCarthy.
  Mr. Speaker, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, there is a chapter known as 
the Eulogy of Heroes; its words could be used to describe Leo McCarthy.
  ``Now let us praise great men, the heroes of our nation's history, 
through whom the Lord has established His renown and revealed His 
majesty. Some were sage counselors who led the people by their counsel 
and by their knowledge of the law; out of their fund of wisdom, they 
gave instruction. They were men of loyalty, whose good deeds have not 
been forgotten.''
  I know that all who knew Leo McCarthy knows how fitting that 
description

[[Page 5452]]

is of him. Leo McCarthy was indeed such a person. And as the Eulogy of 
Heroes proclaims, ``He will be buried in peace, but his name lives 
forever, as people recount his wisdom.''
  Leo's great wisdom was in knowing that the future of his children, 
Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall, was linked to the destiny of all 
children. There were many years when, as the most senior Democrat in 
California politics, Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy was the main 
person standing between drastic cuts to benefits for our children, the 
elderly and the disabled.
  Leo took seriously the responsibility to carry the banner of the 
Democratic Party, as he advanced social and economic justice. As 
Speaker of the State Assembly House and Lieutenant Governor, Leo 
promoted a values-based agenda to educate our children, grow our 
economy and protect our environment. He did so living up to the highest 
ethical standards, and he always strove to act in a bipartisan way.
  Leo's word was his bond. And when he promised that he would protect 
our seniors and stand up for California's magnificent coastline, he 
kept his word. In fact, Leo was so scrupulously principled and honest 
that there are those of us who thought he must be wearing a Boy Scout 
uniform under his business suit. What was under there was a heart of 
gold. And really, in all of the testimonials that followed Leo's 
passing, I said he had the heart of a lion; they said he was a lion.
  Leo opened public service to so many Californians, opening up the 
Democratic Party and welcoming in the grassroots. As a former staffer 
of his said, Leo liked to take chances on talent. From him they got not 
only their start but also their ethics, how to look after their family, 
their community and their country at the same time.
  He also encouraged the next generation of leadership through his work 
at the University of San Francisco as head of the Leo T. McCarthy 
Center for Public Service and the Common Good. Leo helped to give me my 
start, encouraging me not only to support candidates but to run in my 
own right. I consider him both a dear friend and a purposeful mentor.
  He made my first run for Congress a family affair, with my children 
working alongside his children to elect me to Congress. I said, again, 
he had a heart of gold, he also had the heart of a lion which sustained 
him through his illness. With all the strength that he could muster and 
a clear mind, he gave me sage counsel and wise instruction, as the 
eulogy said, through this last campaign, always reminding me that it 
was necessary to win in order to keep faith with the American people. 
And I know he took special joy in our victories in November, indeed, 
they were his victories as well.
  Leo was optimistic to the end. And as recently as Saturday night, 
which was the Saturday night before he passed, I spoke to him and he 
said, My morale is high. I am home with Jackie, that is his wife, and 
my children and my grandchildren are with me. More than anything, Leo 
loved his family, his wife Jackie, his children and grandchildren.
  My husband Paul and I and my entire family extend our deep sympathy 
to Jackie, Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall. Again, I hope it is a comfort 
to them that so many people mourn their loss, sing Leo's praises and 
are praying for them at this sad time.
  Mr. Speaker, Leo McCarthy will be buried in peace, but his name lives 
forever as people recount his wisdom.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from 
California, Sam Farr.
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I am one of the Members that served with Leo 
McCarthy. I was a member of the California legislature. And like 
Speaker Pelosi, he was the one who convinced me, when I was a young 
staff member working for the California legislature in 1975, that I 
ought to return to my district and start running in public life for 
politics. And that is what got me into being a county supervisor, and 
the rest is history.
  But serving with Leo McCarthy indeed is distinction for all the 
reasons talked about. But I loved his youthful energy. The shock of Leo 
McCarthy dying is that he never looked old, never seemed old. He always 
had the energy of youth; looked young; and just was a remarkable 
person. He twice ran for the United States Senate. And doing that in 
California is indeed a tough problem because the State is so big, so 
expansive, and it requires so much time, and Leo would never abandon 
his family.
  I remember, Leo was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and I remember 
going on a trip to Auckland, New Zealand with him. He was welcomed home 
as a town hero. He pointed out that because he was born in that town, 
he could never run for President of the United States, not being a 
native born. I also traveled with him to Canada, when we went on 
several of the communications issues. And I remember him so devoted to 
Jackie that he took all his life savings to make sure that Jackie could 
have a wonderful coat that she wanted, and I know that she still has 
that.
  Ladies and gentlemen, Leo McCarthy was the kind of person you want in 
public life. And indeed, California is better off for having him serve. 
It is a great State, and he made it greater. He produced a lot of us 
that are serving in Congress. And certainly, almost like a daughter, 
Anna Eshoo, the author of this resolution, and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of 
the House, he has a lot to be proud of. We are very proud that we were 
able to work for him, serve for him and be in public life with him.
  All our condolences go to Jackie and the family.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to extend the 
time of debate 2 minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I request 2 minutes for the gentleman from 
California, Brad Sherman.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Eshoo for 
offering this important legislation that I am proud to have 
cosponsored, honoring the life and achievements of Leo McCarthy and 
expressing the sorrow of the House of Representatives on his death.
  The resolution properly recounts and reflects Leo's many 
accomplishments, a lifetime dedicated to effective service on behalf of 
the people of California and of the United States. Yet Leo McCarthy's 
life was much more than the titles he earned and the awards he 
accumulated. He was a loving husband to Jacqueline, his wife of 51 
years, and a father of four children and 11 grandchildren. When Leo 
McCarthy died on February 5, he also left a world of friends.
  It is fitting that my colleagues have obtained the opportunity to 
speak of Leo's many outstanding personal accomplishments and his 
qualities, his loyalty, his friendliness, his wise counsel. Those of us 
who knew Leo knew these qualities well.
  As Speaker of the California Assembly for 6 years, and then during 
his unprecedented three terms as Lieutenant Governor, Leo was 
responsible for path-breaking legislation such as the California 
Coastal Act and the Nursing Home Patients Protection Act. He led the 
way toward implementation of important initiatives to educate business 
on the value of employer-provided health care and programs to help 
welfare recipients move into the workplace.
  Leo was a charitable man who encouraged public service through his 
contributions and his service at the University of San Francisco and as 
head of the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common 
Good.
  I join in expressing the profound sorrow of this House and in 
offering my personal condolences to the McCarthy family on Leo's death. 
Our prayers are with all of you who mourn Leo McCarthy.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
the life of Leo McCarthy, former Lieutenant Governor of California, who 
passed away last month after a long illness due to a kidney ailment.
  Born in New Zealand, Leo began his lifetime of public service for his 
adopted country as a member the United States Air Force Strategic Air 
Command in the Korean War.
  His political service began in 1963 when he was elected to the San 
Francisco Board of

[[Page 5453]]

Supervisors, and later to the California Assembly, where he had the 
honor and distinction of serving as speaker from 1974 to 1980.
  In 1982 he was elected Lieutenant Governor--a position he held until 
1994.
  Leo's dedication to his community was clear from the diversity of 
issues on which he worked: from assisting welfare recipients, to 
increasing breast cancer awareness, to finding ways to stop toxic 
contamination.
  He also worked to promote tolerance by establishing the Lieutenant 
Governor's Commission on the Prevention of Hate Violence.
  After leaving the political field, Leo continued to serve the 
community by founding the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and 
the Common Good at the University of San Francisco.
  This Center, where young men and women can learn and be inspired to 
pursue a life and career of ethical public service, is a fitting legacy 
for a man whose life was devoted to serving the community.
  Leo McCarthy is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their four children 
and eleven grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H. 
Res. 180. This bipartisan resolution honors the life and achievements 
of Leo T. McCarthy, and expresses profound sorrow on his recent death.
  I want to thank my friend and colleague from California, 
Representative Eshoo, for sponsoring this resolution.
  Leo McCarthy was many things in his life. He was an airman, a 
politician, and a life-long public servant. But above all things, he 
was a decent and compassionate man.
  Leo was first elected to the California Assembly in 1968.
  He served with honor and distinction as its Speaker from 1974 and 
1980 and went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor of California for 
three terms.
  Leo's accomplishments in office express the compassion and love he 
possessed for his fellow man.
  His leadership helped change the way California looked at issues like 
child care, breast cancer research, elder care, and treatment for the 
mentally ill.
  Beyond his professional work, he was a loving family man, and 
dedicated friend and mentor to countless of my California peers.
  I urge my colleagues to honor the life of this good man. May he rest 
in peace.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my 
deep sympathies to the family of the honorable Leo T. McCarthy, 
including his loving wife, Jackie Lee Burke, his four wonderful 
children, Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall, and his 11 grandchildren.
  Leo McCarthy's passing is a great loss for the state of California. 
He was a champion of equality and social justice. He was a model of 
public service, both as a legislator and a citizen.
  Leo McCarthy dedicated his life to improving the lives of his fellow 
Californians.
  In the California State Assembly, Leo McCarthy reformed the 
institution by bringing increased openness and accountability to the 
legislative process.
  As a three-term Lieutenant Governor, Leo McCarthy took on some of our 
state's most challenging social issues. He implemented programs that 
empowered our state's impoverished and disenfranchised citizens and 
aided those who could not stand for themselves. These programs have 
greatly increased the quality of life in California, and each day 
numerous Californians benefit from his wisdom and leadership.
  Leo McCarthy was also a champion of the environment. He led the 
enactment of the California Coastal Act, which has helped conserve 
California's precious coastal resources and further protect our coast 
from offshore drilling.
  Leo McCarthy was also a model politician. I had a great deal of 
respect for the honesty and fairness he brought to the political 
process. I admired how he instilled the values of public service and 
social justice into future generations. The Leo T. McCarthy Center for 
Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San Francisco 
is an example of how his legacy will benefit our state for years to 
come.
  Mr. Speaker, Leo McCarthy's contributions to our state are 
immeasurable. He was a friend to me and all of California, and his 
presence will be missed even as his legacy endures.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 180.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________