[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11344-11345]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LOUIS J. PAPAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 3, 2007

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my colleagues, 
Mr. Baca, Mr. Becerra, Mr. Berman, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Costa, 
Ms. Susan Davis, Mr. Farr, Mr. Filner, Mrs. Harman, Mr. Honda, Ms. 
Barbara Lee, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. McNerney, Mrs. Matsui, Mr. George Miller, 
Ms. Napolitano, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Linda Sanchez, Ms. Loretta 
Sanchez, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Solis, Mr. Stark, Ms. Tauscher, 
Mr. Mike Thompson, Ms. Maxine Waters, Ms. Watson, Mr. Henry Waxman, Ms. 
Lynn Woolsey, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to honor our long-time friend 
and colleague, the Honorable Lou Papan, who passed away at his home on 
Saturday, April 28, 2007, in Millbrae, California, at the age of 78. He 
was a distinguished American, a dedicated public servant, a forceful 
legislator, and a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
  Lou Papan was born Elias Papandricoupolos in Springfield, 
Massachusetts, the son of Greek immigrants, John and Flora 
Papandricoupolos. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from 
Syracuse University and studied at Georgetown Law School. He served as 
a Sergeant in the Army during World War II and as a Lieutenant in the 
Air Force during the Korean War.
  After Korea, he joined the F.B.I. and was transferred to San 
Francisco, where he met the love of his life the late Irene Damis, his 
wife of 42 years. Irene hailed from Portland, Oregon and studied at 
Mills College in Oakland. They had three children: John, Gina, and 
Diane. Gina is a member of the Millbrae City Council, and Diane is a 
practicing attorney in San Francisco. John passed away from a rare 
congenital illness at age 21, and in the wake of their profound loss, 
Lou and Irene founded an extraordinary scholarship and not-for-profit 
clothing bank to honor John's memory known as John's Closet, which has 
helped hundreds of low-income late-blooming students.
  Lou began his political career in 1970 when he was elected to the 
Daly City Council. He was elected to serve the people of California's 
19th Assembly District in 1972. He was appointed Speaker Pro Tempore in 
1974, and

[[Page 11345]]

became Chair of the powerful Rules Committee in 1976. He also chaired 
the Public Investment and Finance Committee.
  In his many years in the Assembly, Lou Papan worked on behalf of 
California's working class, and was a tireless advocate for disabled 
children. He authored legislation that strengthened child and elder 
abuse reporting requirements and improved Worker's Compensation 
benefits. He promoted independent banking institutions and was an early 
supporter of e-commerce, an environmental champion who helped to 
purchase land in Pacifica for the State Park System, and protected 
endangered species on San Bruno Mountain. He improved government 
accountability by placing legislative records under the State's Open 
Records Act.
  Lou retired from the Assembly in 1986 to run for the State Senate. He 
lost that race but was elected again in 1996 to his former Assembly 
seat where he served until 2002. In 1997, he received the Ellis Island 
Medal of Honor, given by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations 
in recognition of significant contributions made by immigrants to our 
country.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our 
deepest sympathy to Mr. Papan's daughters, Diane and Gina, his son-in-
law, Dan Latini, and his beautiful granddaughter, Alexa Papan Latini, 
as we honor the life of this proud American. We take comfort in knowing 
that he is now reunited with his angels, Irene and John. Lou gave our 
nation many years of devoted public service and we are better for them.

                          ____________________