[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3598-3599]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN JOHN DINGELL

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, today Congressman John Dingell of Michigan 
becomes the longest serving member in the history of the United States 
House of Representatives. As we observe this notable milestone in time, 
however, John Dingell's longevity is really a footnote that does not 
even begin to tell the full story of John and his wonderful partner 
Debbie.
  Fifty-four years from now, or 154 years from now, when historians 
look back for models of public service, John Dingell will stand among 
the best America has to offer. His commitment to the public good, his 
sense of fiduciary duty as a public servant and most of all the spirit, 
the passion, and the motivation that John brings to his work day in and 
day out, year after year, are nothing short of remarkable.
  Before John Dingell became a Member of the House, he was a son and a 
student of the House. His father, Congressman John Dingell Sr., was a 
New Dealer and a passionate advocate of FDR's agenda.
  As a House page in the late 1930s and early 1940s, John learned the 
intricacies of House procedure. He got to know his way around, and 
developed a profound respect for leaders like Sam Rayburn.
  Even in his youth, John was anything but a passive observer. When 
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and FDR came to Congress and declared it a 
``date which will live in infamy,'' John was in the Chamber. In fact, 
John saw to it that one audio recorder continued to run even after 
FDR's speech ended, so thanks to him we have a fascinating record of 
the deliberations afterward that quickly led to the declaration of war 
on Japan.
  When he was 18, John enlisted in the Army. After the war he returned 
to Washington, and, ever a student of the House, he worked as an 
elevator operator here in the Capitol while attending Georgetown, where 
he received undergraduate and law degrees. As a young lawyer, John 
served as a clerk for Sandy's and my uncle, Theodore Levin, a Federal 
judge in Michigan who, along with our Dad, had actually campaigned for 
John's Dad in the 1930s.
  A few years later, when his father passed away, John Jr. won the 
special election to fill the vacant seat. The son and student became a 
Member of the institution that he had studied so closely and that he 
respected so deeply. And over the years, the Member would become the 
Chairman, and the Chairman would become the Dean--the most senior 
member of the House of Representatives.
  While that alone is a significant achievement, the true mark of John 
Dingell is his devotion to public service that connects him to the 
great men and women of America's storied past whose statues grace this 
Capitol, and the legislation he has influenced that has so improved the 
lives of our people. He contributed to the creation of Medicaid and 
Medicare, to the Civil Rights bills, to the Endangered Species Act and 
the Clean Air Act. He fought to protect Social Security--which his 
father helped create.
  Like all great fighters, when John Dingell is knocked down, he picks 
himself up. For example, he has helped keep the fight for universal 
health care alive by introducing legislation to achieve it in each new 
Congress, just as his father did.
  John can be tough, running procedural circles around even the most 
skilled legislative adversaries. And he can be gruff, for instance 
comparing a proposal he thinks is foolish or unnecessary to ``side 
pockets on a cow'' or ``feathers on a fish.''
  But this tough and gruff Congressman has a softer side. His wife 
Debbie is personable and glowing and brings extraordinary energy to 
everything she touches. John and Debbie are each powerhouses in their 
own right, and their relationship is a perfect synergy.
  While Debbie is everywhere, raising funds for great causes, creating 
personal relationships that enrich so many lives, John is only where he 
needs to be--focusing like a laser on legislative and policy goals.
  There is a common thread in the Dingells' legislative maneuvers, 
charitable endeavors and even John's unique use of language: they are 
all devoted to the goal of helping working people. People back home 
love ``Big John'' because they know he is on their side--fighting for 
their jobs, their health, their children.
  That is why, as much evidence as there is of John's influence and 
respect in the House of Representatives, the best way to really 
understand John's impact on the people he represents is to make a visit 
to ``Dingell Country.'' In John's district, people have placed John's 
name on a road, a bridge, a park and a library not just to honor him 
but to inspire others. Just talk to a few of John's fellow veterans at 
the VA Medical Center in Detroit. Those vets feel a little better and a 
little stronger knowing that they live in the John Dingell VA Medical 
Center. Or stop by the UAW Region 1a headquarters in Taylor, Michigan, 
and tell them you've stood shoulder to shoulder with John Dingell 
fighting for American workers--and you won't get a warmer welcome 
anywhere in America.
  John is beloved in his district, and he has been a role model to me 
and to my older brother Sandy since we arrived in Congress. He has also 
been a wonderful

[[Page 3599]]

mentor to us and to the entire Michigan delegation.
  John has been a son of the House, a student of the House, a Member 
and a Chairman in the House he loves so much. On behalf of Michigan, I 
offer thanks to the now all-time Dean of the House of Representatives, 
John Dingell, a great institution within a great institution, for his 
devotion to public service and to the people of Michigan and the 
Nation.

                          ____________________