[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3637-3650]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING JOHN D. DINGELL FOR HOLDING THE RECORD AS THE LONGEST SERVING 
                 MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 154) honoring John D. Dingell for holding the 
record as the longest serving member of the House of Representatives.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

[[Page 3638]]



                              H. Res. 154

       Whereas John D. Dingell was sworn in as a Member of the 
     United States House of Representatives on January 3, 1956;
       Whereas John D. Dingell took office after winning a special 
     election on December 13, 1955, to replace his father, who had 
     served with distinction as a 12-term Congressman and proud 
     supporter of President Roosevelt during the New Deal;
       Whereas John D. Dingell, prior to being sworn in as a 
     Member of Congress, had already dedicated himself to public 
     service through his work as a National Park Ranger, a Second 
     Lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II, and 
     an Assistant Prosecutor in Wayne County;
       Whereas John D. Dingell was appointed by Speaker of the 
     House Sam Rayburn to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign 
     Commerce, which would later become the Committee on Energy 
     and Commerce;
       Whereas John D. Dingell has authored or been instrumental 
     in the passage of some of the Nation's most important 
     environmental laws, including the National Environmental 
     Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air Act 
     Amendments of 1990;
       Whereas John D. Dingell's length of service has given him 
     the wisdom to foresee the long-term implications of 
     congressional actions, as shown in his warning during the 
     1999 debate over deregulation of the financial services 
     industry that ``You are going to find that they [banks] are 
     too big to fail, so the Fed is going to be in and other 
     Federal agencies are going to be in to bail them out. Just 
     expect that'';
       Whereas John D. Dingell has been a strong and vigorous 
     defender of civil rights and civil liberties, having led the 
     drafting and supported the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 
     1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and is well known as a 
     champion of the Second Amendment;
       Whereas John D. Dingell made health care for all Americans 
     a priority during his entire career, having offered 
     legislation (first introduced by his father) in every 
     Congress since 1957 that would provide for national health 
     insurance, having presided over the House of Representatives 
     on April 8, 1965, when Medicare passed the House, having been 
     a leader in getting the Children's Health Insurance Program 
     signed into law in 1997 and an expansion of the program 
     signed into law in 2009, and having been an active leader on 
     many other health care issues during his tremendous career;
       Whereas John D. Dingell has been a tireless advocate on 
     behalf of working Americans, and was described by President 
     Obama on June 15, 2008, as ``somebody who has done more for 
     working people than just about anybody in the history of the 
     House of Representatives'';
       Whereas John D. Dingell was elected to his 28th term as a 
     Member of the House of Representatives on November 4, 2008, 
     and has served as the Dean of the House since the 104th 
     Congress; and
       Whereas John D. Dingell will become the longest serving 
     Member of the House of Representatives on February 11, 2009: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. HONORING JOHN D. DINGELL FOR HOLDING THE RECORD AS 
                   THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF 
                   REPRESENTATIVES.

       The House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the Honorable John D. Dingell for his 
     tireless advocacy on behalf of his constituents in the State 
     of Michigan in the past, present, and future;
       (2) honors the Honorable John D. Dingell for his lifelong 
     commitment to public service;
       (3) celebrates the Honorable John D. Dingell and his more 
     than 53 years of dedication to the United States Congress, as 
     well the Nation and the ideals upon which it was founded; and
       (4) congratulates the Honorable John D. Dingell upon 
     attaining the record for longest serving Member of the House 
     of Representatives.

     SEC. 2. TRANSMISSION OF ENROLLED RESOLUTION.

       The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit an 
     enrolled copy of this resolution to the Honorable John D. 
     Dingell.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I introduced this resolution, along with my 
Michigan colleagues, so that we might recognize the milestone reached 
by the gentleman from Michigan, John D. Dingell, who, as of today, has 
served longer in the House of Representatives than any Member in its 
history.
  I have had the great privilege to work closely with John Dingell the 
past 32 years. I can tell you that through all the changes we have seen 
in this institution over those years, John Dingell has played a major 
role in those that have made this a better country. Throughout his 
tenure here, he has remained constant in his determination, his 
toughness, and certainly, in his fairness.
  John knows of the great importance of the automobile industry in this 
country. He knows that when line workers can earn a decent enough wage 
to support their family and send their children to college, our whole 
economy prospers. He knows that what America drives drives America.
  John played an essential role in the passage of the Chrysler loan 
guarantee in 1979, which actually earned $311 million for our 
government. Recently, he provided a wealth of knowledge necessary to 
pass the bridge loans to the Big Three automakers.
  John's expertise and devotion to providing all Americans with health 
care is unsurpassed in this Congress. Historians writing about health 
care will always note the role of two men bearing the name John 
Dingell, the one serving today and his father.
  His rich Polish heritage is demonstrated each year on Fat Tuesday 
when I enjoy the delicious paczki which he presents to me.
  I've always been grateful to have a reliable friend and adviser in 
John Dingell. Mr. Speaker, this is a better Congress, a better country, 
and I know I am a better congressman, but more importantly, a better 
human being, because of John Dingell.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Peters) be permitted to control the remainder of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Upton).
  Mr. UPTON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, today is Dingell Day. John Dingell has served more than 
53 years in this body. And at a wonderful reception last night in 
Statuary Hall it was commented over and over, it is not length of his 
service, but it in fact is the quality of that service.
  As chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, he has 
been certainly one of the most influential legislators in the history 
of the United States, as he'd like to say, with jurisdiction over 
almost everything. In fact, I think he coined this term many years ago 
when he said, ``If it moves it's energy, and if it doesn't, it's 
commerce. With that, our committee has that jurisdiction.'' And this 
resolution honors that service.
  Mr. Speaker, time will judge all of our actions, and serves as the 
legacy that each of us will carry as it relates to the difference that 
we made on behalf of the districts that we represented, but also the 
Nation that we serve. And history will certainly look favorably on the 
wonderful service of John Dingell in this body. He has been on the 
right side almost all the time, but not always, but certainly he's been 
an architect of the great debates that we have had in this Chamber.
  John Dingell is a governing type of legislator, and he knows that 
good ideas are not just Democratic ideas, and that awful ideas are not 
just Republican ideas. He demands the best from all of us. And, as a 
consequence, he has had tremendous relationships with the ranking 
member or the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, certainly, 
for all the years that I've served, whether it be with Norman Lent, Tom 
Bliley, Billy Tauzin, and certainly Joe Barton, one of his best 
friends.
  John Dingell doesn't care about the pride of authorship. He wants the 
job done. We've sat and had many conversations about issues that he's 
asked me to carry, and it has strengthened those bills as we moved 
those pieces of legislation to the floor.
  We teamed most recently on the auto legislation. Dale Kildee, the 
sponsor of this resolution, and myself are co- chairs of the Auto 
Caucus. But together, we teamed together with all of our Michigan 
colleagues, regardless of party, and we were able to shepherd that 
legislation through to really help try and save the manufacturing base 
of this country over these last few months.

[[Page 3639]]

  For me, I've always enjoyed the relationship that I've had with my 
good friend, John Dingell. Obviously, there are times when we've been 
on the opposing side of an issue, but plenty of times when we've been 
in the same foxhole, on the same side. And I'll confess, it's the 
latter that I enjoy the most. It's a lot easier for, I would like to 
think, the both of us when we're on the same side.
  But John Dingell plays by the rules. I think maybe in another life he 
would have been an umpire or a referee. Ken Duberstein, Ronald Reagan's 
former Chief of Staff, said this most recently: ``He followed wherever 
the facts dictated. Sometimes you don't like what he finds, but you 
know that he did it honestly. He is a straight shooter.'' Indeed, he 
is.
  We are a wonderful and diverse country, and we know that sometimes 
this is a very tough place to govern. And it comes with the territory 
that to be a good legislator, you need to be blessed with a lot of 
things. Luck is one. You need a great staff. You need a district back 
home that respects your decision-making, you need colleagues that know 
that you're somewhat of an expert and they will listen. But you also 
need a great spouse. All of those elements make a necessary and 
personal sacrifice to the success of your career.
  Well, John Dingell has been one that has hit a home run with all of 
those qualities. He has been a man for all seasons. He is a true giant 
in the history of this institution. We wish him well in the many years 
that he has left.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from 
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for yielding, and for introducing this resolution 
honoring the distinguished dean of our delegation, Congressman John D. 
Dingell.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to yield myself such time as I may 
consume.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PETERS. I also, Mr. Speaker, would like to ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on House 
Resolution 154.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Melancon). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PETERS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  Here in Washington and across the country, Congressman Dingell is 
known and respected for his legislative accomplishments. But as a 
lifelong resident of Southeast Michigan, I know that Mr. Dingell's 
responsiveness and service to his constituents over 53 years is just as 
impressive. John Dingell has never lost touch with the people that he 
serves, and being their voice in Washington has always been his top 
priority. His service to the residents of his community sets an example 
for other lawmakers to follow, and certainly sets the bar for me, as a 
new Member of Congress.
  Mr. Dingell's constituents know that he cares more about getting 
things done for them than he does about getting honors for himself, and 
that's why I think it's fitting that, as we are honoring him here on 
the floor today, he is preparing to actively participate in a hearing 
being held by the Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and 
Investigation Subcommittee, making sure that the food that our children 
and our families consume is safe.
  Mr. Dingell is an inspiration for all of us.
  I now yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Schauer).
  Mr. SCHAUER. Colleagues, I can think of no greater honor than to pay 
tribute to John D. Dingell, Jr. of Michigan, who, today, becomes the 
longest serving Member in the 220-year history of the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  As one of Michigan's newest Members, today is my 36th day as a Member 
of Congress. Today is John Dingell's 19,420th day. As Chairman Dingell 
told the press this week, ``It isn't how long, it's how well.'' No one 
has done it better than Chairman Dingell.
  As a Representative whose district is next door to his, what is most 
remarkable to me is how universally loved, revered and respected he is 
by his constituents. Their faith in him is acknowledgment of his 
selfless service and unblemished record of always putting the needs of 
real people first, whether championing universal health care, clean 
water or good jobs and a strong middle class.
  In the many years I've known Chairman Dingell, he has been a great 
and supportive mentor. My first week on the job here, the Dean offered 
me a simple piece of advice, stay focused on the issues that are most 
important to your constituents and your district, and ignore the rest.
  Chairman Dingell, thank you for sharing your wisdom and being the 
statesman that our founders envisioned. And most of all, thank you for 
all that you continue to do.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point I would yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished minority leader of the House, the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. Let me thank my colleague from Michigan for sponsoring 
this resolution.
  I rise today to congratulate our colleague and my friend, John 
Dingell, as the longest serving Member in the history of the United 
States House of Representatives. And while we've heard this said, I 
think, in some way before, it's not the fact that Mr. Dingell is the 
longest serving man or Member of the House, it's the fact that he's 
been a giant of a man over all these years.
  I know I've only been here 18 years and 2 months, but early on in my 
congressional career, I had a chance to work with Mr. Dingell. And over 
the course of my time here in Washington, he and I have developed a 
very close friendship. And his word is his bond. Whether he's with you 
or against you, you never have to have any doubts about where John 
Dingell is.
  And we've been on the same side, thankfully, many times. But even 
when we're in opposition to each other, it's not as though we are 
opposed to each other. We maybe have different ideas about which way to 
move ahead, but he really is someone that is revered by all of our 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

                              {time}  1045

  And it is my honor as the Republican leader, John, to come here today 
and to say thank you and congratulations.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would now yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill).
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, some of you may know that, in my younger days, 
I broke a few athletic records, but today, John Dingell has broken a 
record that shows exactly what kind of man he is--a devoted public 
servant. I rise today to honor John Dingell's service to the people of 
Michigan and to the Nation.
  He is an undeniable leader but also a teacher and a mentor. He has 
been in Washington for some years now, but he has never strayed from 
his midwestern roots. Everything he does is for the betterment of his 
constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, back in the '50s and '60s, the reputation of Congress 
was much higher than what it is today. Today, the low approval ratings 
are of concern to me and to, I think, a lot of people, but back in the 
'50s and '60s when Mr. Dingell was a prominent Member of this body, the 
reputation of Congress was high. People in America respected the 
Congress of the United States, and it was because of the way people 
like John Dingell respected the institution of our Congress.
  We need to return to those days. The days of slashing and burning 
this institution need to disappear. We need to follow the leadership of 
people like John Dingell, who throughout his entire career was never a 
slash and burn politician. He was a person who may have disagreed with 
you, but he never disrespected you, and that is why all of us in this 
body respect a man like John Dingell. It has been an honor and a 
privilege for me to serve on the commerce committee with him. He has 
helped me tremendously.

[[Page 3640]]

  John, I pause today to thank you for your service and to tell you how 
much I respect you, not only for what you have done for me but for what 
you have done for this institution.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter).
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, it is a great day for Michigan. Having 
grown up there, I first heard the name Dingell used in conjunction with 
the auto industry because the people in my neighborhood, whether they 
were blue collar, white collar or car dealers, knew that there was one 
person in this Congress who would always look out for them and that, as 
long as he was in this body, they would have a voice and a hope.
  Today, we celebrate the fact that that voice has been in this Chamber 
longer than any other Member of the United States House. As someone 
from Michigan, I am eternally grateful, not only for his service to 
this institution but for his service to neighborhoods like mine 
throughout our entire State and our country.
  As I have told you earlier, it is often said on the radio that mere 
greatness is fleeting but that goodness and greatness are timeless.
  Chairman Dingell, with your service to this institution, to your 
beloved State of Michigan and to the country which you defended as a 
veteran, they will always consider your service timeless as will be 
their gratitude for it.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I now would like to yield 3 minutes to a 
colleague of mine, the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. 
Levin).
  Mr. LEVIN. Well, for you, John--and I guess I'm not supposed to be 
directing my comments to a particular Member. To John Dingell and to 
Debbie Dingell, this is an emotional moment, but it is for all of us.
  To know John Dingell, one has to know his roots and his father's--
coming from an area that saw the middle class develop. Really, for 
many, for the first time, there were jobs that really paid. There was 
health care for so many for the first time. They were provided pensions 
for the first time, and in most cases, in many cases for the first 
time, provided for a single family house.
  For John Dingell, the automotive industry was not a special interest. 
It was an area that had interests that were special, and so John 
Dingell has never forgotten those roots. He has never forgotten the 
blossoming of the middle class and his determination to fight for it. 
John Dingell has never forgotten his roots. It is a good example for 
all of us.
  Another example has been that John Dingell was able to grow beyond 
his roots in a sense, to have a sense that there were underdogs 
virtually everywhere. So John Dingell came here, not only fighting for 
those who were part of a new middle class but for those who were not, 
and he had the courage, if one remembers, it was not so easy, to fight 
for the rights of every human being.
  As has been so often said, John Dingell's service here is more than 
the days numbered; it is the issues fought for with esteem and success. 
So this is an emotional moment for us all--as I said, for John and 
Debbie Dingell but, I hope, for all America--because his service has 
been a truly American service and story.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from the great State of Michigan (Mrs. Miller).
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to 
join so many of our colleagues, not just from the great State of 
Michigan but from the great, great Nation of America to honor our 
colleague here--truly a giant, a giant of this House and a legendary 
leader in Michigan as well--Congressman John Dingell, as he becomes the 
longest serving Member of this House in the history of this body.
  Every Member of this House is addressed by the term ``the 
honorable,'' but perhaps no other Member of this House deserves that 
title more than the Honorable John Dingell.
  For the last 19,420 days--an amazing number--more than 53 years, John 
Dingell has served the people of Michigan and of our Nation with honor 
and with distinction. He has been a vocal fighter for our State, a 
champion for working men and women across this great Nation. He is a 
man whose word is his bond, and I know that personally from so many 
experiences. His word is his bond. If he gives you his word, Mr. 
Speaker, take it to the bank.
  None of us can ever doubt the sincerity with which he approaches his 
cause nor his ability to work with Members across the aisle in 
different Chambers to find solutions to the enormous challenges that 
have been facing our Nation during his long tenure here, and there is 
no better ally to have when fighting an issue than John Dingell. Again, 
I know this from personal experience because he is a zealous advocate 
for his cause and an incredible leader and, again, has that rare 
ability to bring people together.
  As my colleague from Michigan said, there is simply no better person 
with whom to share a foxhole than John Dingell, and while I will 
respect and honor John Dingell for his service to the people of his 
district, Michigan and this Nation, the thing that gives me the 
greatest pleasure is to be able to call John Dingell ``friend.'' I say 
that with the greatest sincerity, Mr. Dingell.
  Congratulations, Mr. Chairman, and my sincere best wishes for another 
19,000 days of service here in this establishment.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and with the greatest reverence for my colleague and my mentor, the 
Honorable John Dingell.
  I was fortunate enough to join the Energy and Commerce Committee in 
1999. Over the past 10 years, we have confronted difficult times and 
difficult legislation, but whether as ranking member or as chairman, 
John led us all honorably and always with the greater good in mind.
  As a nurse, working with Mr. Dingell on health care has been an 
honor. Indeed, it has been the privilege of a lifetime. In fact, I have 
kept my R.N. current because, with Team Dingell, I work on health care 
advocacy as much in this body as I ever did as a school nurse in Santa 
Barbara County, whether it was in passing the Nurse Reinvestment Act or 
in opposing the misguided Medicare Modernization Act or, when we were 
back in the majority, in holding our very first hearing on children's 
health care, and in passing also the Genetic Information 
Nondiscrimination Act. First and foremost, Mr. Dingell has always been 
concerned about improving health care for all Americans.
  Of course, behind every great man is, quite often, a strong woman. 
This has never been more true than it is with the Dingells. In fact, I 
had the pleasure of getting to know Debbie Dingell before I really got 
to know John because I first came to Washington as a congressional 
spouse. She worked hard with John to ensure that the Energy and 
Commerce Committee remained collegial, and she would often keep John 
and all of us company during late-night markups. I use this occasion 
then also to pay tribute to her today for all she does to support 
John's great work and service.
  Congratulations to Mr. John Dingell and to the entire Dingell family 
for reaching this incredible, amazing milestone.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of Members who may be coming 
over. We have no one here at the moment, but I would ask at this point 
to give all Members the opportunity to revise and extend their remarks 
and to be able to submit that material for the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schauer). The request the gentleman is 
making was granted earlier in the debate.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Many times you will hear us suggest that we

[[Page 3641]]

are privileged to be on the floor and to be able to speak to a 
particular resolution. I know that the distinguished gentleman who I 
speak of this morning, Congressman Dingell, is a respecter and a lover 
of this institution. He often supports and calls for regular order, but 
this morning, I would like to be given a waiver to speak particularly 
in a personal manner because I believe that the courage of John Dingell 
truly has impacted my life. So, even though I might have been--and I 
can probably say this--just a junior high school student as John 
Dingell took his oath of office, he does not realize the many lives 
like mine that he impacted. I am what I am today because John Dingell 
had the courage and the fortitude, the strength and love of this 
country to stand in times of difficulty.
  Where would this Nation be if a man by the name of Martin Luther King 
had not been listened to by a man like John Dingell, who then stood on 
the floor of the House, alongside of a southern President, and voted 
for the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act?
  The southern districts were created and opportunities for many of us 
to ascend to higher office and to be welcomed in places of 
accommodation, maybe even for this young President, President Obama, to 
attend Columbia University or for myself to attend Yale University.
  John Dingell was not thinking about individual persons, nameless 
persons like me, but he took a stand when he knew that he might be 
subjected to an enormous primary fight or that he would be considered, 
if you will, a lover of those colored people.

                              {time}  1100

  But like Thomas Jefferson said, ``Some men are born for the public.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Jefferson continued, ``Nature, by fitting 
them for the service of the human race on a broad scale, has stamped 
them with the evidences of her destination and their duty.''
  John Dingell has protected my mother. She's in a nursing home. How is 
she able to do that having worked 37 years as a vocational nurse? 
Because of Medicare. There are many children in my district who are 
glad that in 1997 I was able to join John Dingell for the 
implementation of the children's health coverage.
  So John, I know that you like regular order, but I decided to be 
personal today. I want to thank you for those 19,420 days because they 
were not in vain. You saved many lives, you gave us opportunities. I am 
forever grateful, and I stand here as a daughter of America saying 
thank you on behalf of the United States of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I am overjoyed today that I have the opportunity to 
speak on one of America's true public servants. The resolution before 
us today on the House floor recognizes Representative John Dingell for 
his distinguished public service and for his holding the record as the 
longest serving member of the House of Representatives. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Thomas Jefferson said that ``Some men are born for the public. Nature 
by fitting them for the service of the human race on a broad scale, has 
stamped them with the evidences of her destination and their duty.'' If 
any man or woman I have ever served with is born for the public, it is 
my good friend from Michigan.
  Congressman John Dingell has been devoted to this chamber since he 
first started working as a Congressional Page in 1938. He was already a 
seasoned Washington, D.C. veteran when he won a special election to 
replace his father who had served his constituents the last 22 years of 
his life. While few back then knew that he would serve undisrupted for 
53 years, everyone knew that he would be a difference maker. He now has 
an office that is named for the Speaker of the House that first swore 
him in, Speaker Sam Rayburn from my home State of Texas.
  In his illustrious career, Congressman Dingell has seen it all. He 
has gone from rank and file member, to Chairman, and accomplished more 
than most can even dream possible. Starting his career under John F. 
Kennedy, he has been a driver on the course of history. He has never 
apologized for his beliefs even during a time when being a ``Liberal'' 
was as bad an insult as you could sling.
  A devoted advocate for nationalized health care, he has never 
relented in introducing a national healthcare system at the start of 
every Congressional Session. He was never able to stomach that there 
were people among us who lacked the ability to have access to the basic 
right to care for their health. He has used his natural ability to talk 
to his fellow Members to help those who need the help the most.
  A strict watchman for the people's resources, he went against his own 
leadership to bring attention to government waste. Making sure that any 
person, Democrat or Republican, who came to give testimony to his 
Committee were sworn in under oath, he made sure that even subjects 
that most would want to keep quiet, he brought in to the light. Whether 
it is holding hearings on $600 dollar Pentagon toilet seats or 
preventing scientific fraud with who discovered the AIDS virus, 
Congressman Dingell is the quintessential defender of the little guy. 
He has never believed that just because an injustice is small it should 
not be fought with every ounce of effort that he had. I also must thank 
his lovely, wife Debbie; she has been a mighty force in all he has done 
and a great support for all his causes.
  This man is an American hero and I am honored to be able to vote on 
this important resolution. We have a chance to thank the man who has 
done so much for all of our constituents and I hope to be one of the 
first ``yes'' votes on this resolution. This resolution can show us all 
that remaining committed to our constituents is the best path to keep 
our jobs.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the passage of this resolution.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from the State of California (Ms. Matsui).
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, it's a privilege to stand here today to 
honor a man who is so many things to this body: public servant, 
respected legislator, champion of the working family, colleague, 
counsel, and friend. Above all, John Dingell is a legend in the halls 
of the Capitol.
  He fought bravely in World War II and performed so admirably that he 
rose to the rank of second lieutenant. Yet, by the end of the war, 
John's service to this country was just beginning. He probably did not 
expect that he would serve in this body for more than half a century. 
Longevity is impressive, particularly in a hard-nose business like 
politics.
  But what makes John's tenure here so significant is not how long he's 
served, but what he has accomplished during his tenure. Thousands and 
thousands of children and families across this country have lived 
healthier lives because of laws written by John Dingell. Workers and 
consumers enjoy protections today that they never had before John came 
along.
  It's been an honor for me to serve with John as he burnishes his 
legacy on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He's achieved this feat 
while staying true to the values that drew him to public service: 
fairness, justice, hard work, and loyalty. And we cannot think about 
John without thinking about Debbie, the love of his life. Their 
partnership is an inspiration for all of us, and we honor them both.
  Congratulations, John, on this honor and achieving this milestone. We 
look forward to many, many more.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 3 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Peters) for the time.
  It is with great honor that I am a Member of this House and stand 
today on this resolution that honors one of the great Members of this 
House, the Honorable John Dingell of Michigan.
  As a freshman Member last year, I knew of Mr. Dingell's reputation--
which all of America should know--but I knew it from personal knowledge 
from a former staffer, T.J. Oden, a good friend of mine in Memphis who 
always referred to Mr. Dingell with great honor and great distinction 
and talked of stories of the past and I'd always heard of Mr. Dingell.
  So when I came here, it was one of the great pleasures to meet him, 
and

[[Page 3642]]

he treated me not as a freshman, not as a person who wasn't necessarily 
expected to win their re-election and somebody who would be here for a 
blip, but as a fellow Member and an equal and offered me advice and 
courtesies that you don't always see from a senior Member extended to a 
freshman. And I certainly didn't see them from every Member in this 
body.
  But his term here in the House should be an example to young people 
all over this Nation who want to enter public service.
  While I was a freshman in this House, I was not a freshman in the 
legislative process having served 24 years in the State Senate in 
Tennessee. In my political career, I've seen many people who get into 
office and the first thing that it seems they want to do is move to a 
higher office. They take the position and they take votes that will 
extend them to a higher constituency, whether it's a Congressperson 
wanting to be a senator, or a State representative wanting to be a 
State senator, or somebody wanting to be a governor or a statewide 
officer or President or cabinet member. That's not the purpose, the 
reason why one should hold public office and be a Member of this House 
of Representatives.
  This is a position that is worthy of dedication unto itself and to 
this Chamber, as Mr. Dingell has and his father has served for over 
three-quarters of a century. He has dedicated himself to this House and 
to his district and to the issues of importance and not to the 
advancement of John Dingell as Senator, Secretary, Governor, or 
President.
  It is that resoluteness and that purpose that I think holds itself 
out as an example to young people who enter office is to enter an 
office and to do good in that office and know that that office, when 
you take an oath, is what you're sworn to uphold and the duty that you 
should stand to and not to seek self-promotion constantly.
  Mr. Dingell has done that, and that's part of what this record of 
service shows: a dedication to this House and his district and to the 
purpose of which he was elected.
  In Washington, I have experienced a little over 2 years as a Member 
of this House, and I have seen people in this community who revere Mr. 
Dingell and his bride.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would yield another 30 seconds to the 
gentleman.
  Mr. COHEN. And in law when a person's reputation and character is put 
on display for a jury, it is the reputation as they're known throughout 
the community. And in this community of Washington, there are no two 
people who are thought of more highly and more revered for their 
charitable works and their friendship than John Dingell and his lovely 
bride, Debbie.
  So it's with those issues, the purpose for which he was elected in 
which he served for this House and for this country. And when he closed 
his remarks yesterday in the great Rotunda at a celebration honoring 
him, he closed by saying, ``God bless the United States of America.'' I 
think it was perfect for Mr. Dingell because he loves this country, and 
that's why he served so long and so well.
  So I join everybody and ask you to join in voting for this 
resolution.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point I would yield 2 minutes to 
another gentleman from the great State of Michigan (Mr. Rogers).
  Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here and 
give a moment of honor and praise to a gentleman who has committed 
himself to this institution and to his country and certainly to his 
State.
  And I have often said along the way that if you ever want to tangle 
with somebody in politics, there is no better rival you can have than 
John Dingell, and you better buckle up and show up and be ready to go. 
And when you're on his side, there is no better friend to have in this 
House. And it has been a fun experience to get to know him in a better 
and more personal way the last 8 years that I've been here.
  I will never forget the first day I got here. We happened to meet, I 
think, in the hallway on the way to the Chamber, and he offered his 
hand in congratulations. And I said, ``Sir, do you have any advice for 
a new Member here in the House of Representatives?'' And he thought 
about it for a minute and he said, ``Michael, if you're going to sup 
with the devil, make sure you do so with a very long spoon.'' I thought 
it was the very best advice that I have ever gotten in this Chamber and 
in the life of politics in the last 8 years.
  He has always been there with a kind word and an offer for help. And 
when he's against you, as I said before, believe me, you'll know it. He 
even had some good advice when we were in opposition to certain 
positions along the way.
  But he is truly one of the statesmen of this institution, and we 
shouldn't forget it. The fact that you can disagree and passionately 
disagree with civility has always been the hallmark of John Dingell. 
And he has that same passion, and you can imagine him having some 53-
plus years ago when he showed up in these chambers. And that I draw 
inspiration from, to know that you can be through all of these tough 
and very difficult political issues and still show up with a little bit 
of hip in your getalong, as my dad used to say.
  All of those years, all of those accomplishments, all of that 
civility, that, my friend, is what a statesman is all about.
  It has been an honor and a privilege to know you, sir, in the 
capacity as a United States Representative. You're one of the 
intellectual giants. Thank you for your service to your State. Thank 
you for your service to your country.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point I would yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from the good State of Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I came to the institution of Congress as a 
very young man--not as young as you were, John, perhaps--I was 32 years 
old. I was a fresh, young captain right out of the first gulf war, and 
I came to the institution of Congress because I wanted to serve my 
country in another capacity; and I was very upset having seen what men 
and women do in the name of liberty on a distant battlefield and then 
to see what had happened to Congress.
  To my friend John Dingell, your party controlled for 40 years, and 
then the institution became dark and mismanaged, unorganized. There 
were some bad things that were going on. That propelled me to come to 
Congress.
  And when I came to Congress, I then looked upon my mentors. As a 
young man, I had great respect because I grew up in an American Legion 
family, and those guys that would be out in the alley at the fish fries 
and shooing me out of the way because they were drinking a beer while 
they were telling stories and war stories, they were the World War II 
generation. And I come here to Congress and I got to serve, then, with 
some of the remaining World War II generation.
  And upon my reflection, John, as you reflect upon your 50 years-plus 
of being here in Congress, I think about what a joy it must have been 
to have served here in Congress in the 1950s and the 1960s when there 
were so many individuals here in Congress that were of the product of 
World War II and Korea. Because these were individuals who had truly 
crossed over and had seen the world in a different dimension and didn't 
have time for the political games; what were the great interests that 
could help our country move forward; Republicans and Democrats working 
together, building bridges across any of those divides of which 
individuals who didn't understand that type of dimension or reasoning 
or the bridge builders of those policies were the products of World War 
II and Korea.
  And I kind of look back to your career and say, you know, it would 
have been a real joy to serve here in Congress during those two 
decades. And I got to see the end of that when I was here, and it was 
Bob Stump and Sonny Montgomery and others.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

[[Page 3643]]


  Mr. UPTON. I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana.
  Mr. BUYER. And I think about what a real joy.
  And then I watched you, not only as the great John Dingell, as what 
you were referred to here in the town as you led the Energy and 
Commerce Committee, and then how you also then served in the minority. 
You are a man who believes in the institution, and by that way you 
teach a lot of us on how to act, our deportment, our demeanor, our 
tone, and our tenor; but you also respect the institution. And when you 
respect the institution, that means you respect each other.
  And right now, Lady Liberty is weeping. And the reason Lady Liberty 
is weeping is because we take one of the great men of this institution, 
and the Democrat leadership moved you out. And they moved you out, 
John, because you were an institutional man. You're a man that respects 
open deliberation and debate, and that's who you are.
  But if you're an individual who believes that no, it's my way or the 
highway and I'm going to do it my way, an individual who permits open 
debate and deliberation of all individuals--everyone here was elected 
to represent their districts. So we are in equal capacity.
  But your leadership, John, moved you out, and that was unfortunate. 
And that's why I said Lady Liberty is weeping today because right now, 
we're voting on bills that did not go through particular markups. You 
know, the Speaker, we spend that 10 hours in the Energy and Commerce 
Committee and do amendments, and she takes her own bill on up to the 
Rules Committee, brings it to floor, don't even do amendments so we 
don't even get to participate in the process.

                              {time}  1115

  The reason you can do that is because you move someone out like John 
Dingell.
  This is a man that everyone in the institution respects, and so when 
I will reflect upon my tenure in Congress, I will say that I got to 
serve with some great men and women.
  In particular, when I think of Henry Hyde, I will put him in the same 
arena as Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, the great orators. And I will 
put you in the same category as Sam Rayburn and some of those great 
individuals that have served this country, John. I am proud to have 
served here with you.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed my great honor to yield 1 
minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California, our Speaker of 
the House, Nancy Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. Thank you very much. It's so wonderful to see the two 
gentlemen from Michigan, the two newest Members on the Democratic side 
from Michigan, one presiding, Mr. Schauer, and one controlling the 
time, Mr. Peters, as we pay tribute to the dean of the House and 
certainly the dean of the Michigan delegation, Mr. Dingell.
  Pretty exciting, isn't it, Mr. Chairman, to see these two new young 
Members to come here to reinvigorate the Congress? You've seen that 
happen time and time again.
  My colleagues, as you know, today, the American flag is flying over 
the Capitol in honor of the leadership and service of our colleague 
John Dingell for becoming the longest-serving Member of the House of 
Representatives. As we recognize John today, we thank and congratulate 
his family for sharing him with us: his wife, the lovely Deborah as he 
refers to her; and his children, John, the Third, Christopher, Jeannie 
and Jennifer.
  Last night, hundreds of people gathered under the Capitol dome as we 
had a reception on the eve of this historic event at the site of the 
original House of Representatives to pay tribute to John Dingell. It 
was an amazing group to see, Democrats and Republicans, new Members 
just newly sworn in, and those who had been here for decades.
  We were honored to be joined by President Clinton, who on more than 
one occasion has honored John Dingell for his service. I think most 
recently before was for the 50-year anniversary of your service in 
Congress when many of us came together at that time.
  We were joined also by Speaker Foley and former Minority Leader Bob 
Michel, again as a sign of bipartisanship. All came together to pay 
tribute to the 19,420 days John Dingell has served alongside us.
  Today, we have an opportunity to again pay tribute on the actual day 
that he breaks the record. Yesterday was a tie; today, break the 
record.
  It's also a personal privilege for me to speak about John, as my 
father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., served with John's father in the 
Congress before John came here.
  Every chapter in John Dingell's life has been lived in service to our 
country. John came first to these halls, as I mentioned last night and 
as we all know, as a congressional page. I see that all the pages are 
gathered in the back of the room to hear the story of one of their 
colleagues, a former page, who has reached the heights in the Congress 
of the United States. Thank you, Pages.
  He was a page in 1941 when he was standing on the floor when 
President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. That war 
called John to serve again, not now as a page but a few years older, 
and old enough to serve in the military where he rose to the rank of 
second lieutenant in the Army. It also began a public life dedicated to 
make America strong, both at home and abroad.
  Just barely old enough to be a member of the Greatest Generation, 
John Dingell applied his brilliant mind, his great judgment, and his 
broad vision to making the future better for generations to come. John 
always made clear that a strong America had to be a healthy America. 
Continuing a tradition his father had begun in every Congress, John has 
introduced a bill for universal national health insurance.
  Because of his tireless work in securing health care for the elderly, 
John presided in the House in 1965--he presided where you stand now, 
Congressman Schauer--when Medicare was passed into law. He gaveled it 
down, and that gavel he used that day still sits on his desk.
  To work alongside John Dingell is to be inspired by the history of 
our institution and humbled by the seriousness of our work.
  John, as I said, yesterday tied the record; today, he broke the 
record. And every day that he serves from now on he will continue to 
set a new record, certainly a new record of time in Congress, but 
that's the least of it, a record of leadership, combined with 
experience and longevity that makes him such a powerhouse.
  To John, we love and respect you, and by any measure, your leadership 
and your success have been unsurpassed. Congratulations on this 
wonderful honor. I look forward to working with you for many weeks, 
years, every day to break the record, a new record, but as that piles 
up into years, our country will continue to be well-served by your 
tremendous leadership.
  Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this point, I would yield 4 minutes to the 
former chairman and now distinguished ranking member of the powerful 
and influential Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Barton.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Thank you, Congressman Upton.
  Mr. Speaker, we're here today to honor one of the true lions of the 
Congress. I feel like since this is the third time I've made this type 
of a speech that I'm at a funeral, except for the fact that our honoree 
is not only alive, but he's still kicking and has lots of life left to 
give to his constituency and to the Congress and certainly to the 
committee that he's served as chairman for so many years in the Energy 
and Commerce Committee.
  I've known John Dingell in some ways since 1985 when I got sworn in 
as a freshman Member. I've served on the committee that he was the 
chairman of since 1987. I've served 22 years on the committee, and for 
the last 17 years, in some shape, form or fashion, I have sat beside 
him as subcommittee chairman, as ranking member, as full committee 
chairman, as ranking member of the

[[Page 3644]]

full committee, and now again as ranking member with he as chairman 
emeritus.
  There is a public side of John Dingell, and there is a private side 
of John Dingell. We have numerous stories about the public side of John 
Dingell, the powerful, gruff chairman. You know, some of the private 
sides of John Dingell, much less public but just as important, when I 
had my heart attack 3 years ago, John Dingell is one of the people that 
called and gave me solace and counsel and checked on my wife and made 
sure that she was okay.
  When Terri and I had our son 3 years ago, John and Debbie called and 
asked what kind of a gift, and knowing of their association with the 
auto industry, I thought a Cadillac Escalade might be in order. But 
what we got were car seats, a car seat for Washington and a car seat 
for Texas, very practical gift, also within the House ethics rules and 
also very thoughtful.
  One of the things that has not been said that I'm aware of is that in 
spite of the many legislative achievements, the Clean Water Act, Safe 
Water Drinking Act, the Clean Air Act Amendments, a lead role in the 
original Clean Air Act, John Dingell is a very humble man. He has not 
asked that his name be put on any of that legislation.
  When I chaired the energy conference report that later became the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005, I wanted my name on the bill and Senator 
Domenici and Senator Bingaman and Congressman Dingell. And so I went to 
Mr. Dingell. I said, Let's put your name on the bill; we will call it 
the Barton-Domenici-Dingell-Bingaman bill. And he said, no, he didn't 
want his name on the bill. I said, Is it because it's too 
controversial? He said, No, I don't believe that a man should be that 
presumptuous.
  And I may be wrong, but I'm not aware of any piece of legislation 
that is called the Dingell bill because he just wants to get the job 
done. He's not interested in personal memorials.
  As I've said numerous times, when they write the history of the 
Congress, of the 20,000 men and women who have had the honor to call 
themselves U.S. representatives, John Dingell will be one of those 
representatives that is highlighted.
  I think he's probably the most influential House Member in the 
history of the Congress who has not been Speaker of the House, and he 
could have been Speaker at some point in time. And I don't mean that as 
a personal attack on our current Speaker. I'm just saying the esteem 
that this man has been held in for over 50 years is something that we 
should all try to emulate, because on both sides of the aisle, he is 
really, really held in high esteem and is considered, as I said 
earlier, one of the lions, not just of this Congress but every 
Congress.
  I consider it one of the highest honors of my life that I have been 
able to serve with him and by him and learn from him and, on occasion, 
emulate him.
  And, Mr. Speaker, I will also say that he still has work to do. The 
fact that we're all honoring him with this resolution today--
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has again expired.
  Mr. UPTON. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
  Mr. BARTON of Texas. The fact that we're honoring this fine gentleman 
today does not mean that he can rest on his laurels. I fully expect 
within the month to be totally engaged on opposite sides in the public 
health care debate as he tries to fulfill one of his lifetime 
obligations of moving some sort of a national health care bill. I 
believe in a more market-oriented, private sector approach.
  So, while part of me says I wish he would go ahead and retire, the 
better part of me says we want you here, Chairman Dingell. We want you 
engaged in the debate. We want you giving your ideas on what you think 
is right for the American people, just like you've been doing for the 
last 53-years-and-some-odd days, because on your best day you make this 
body and our country a better body and a better country, and even on 
your worst day, you improve the atmosphere and improve the prospects 
for a brighter future for our people of the United States of America.
  God bless you.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding more time I ask unanimous 
consent to extend the time by 10 minutes, equally split between both 
sides.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to now yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished gentleman from Maryland and the majority leader of the 
House of Representatives, Mr. Hoyer.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the two gentlemen from Michigan, Mr. Peters and my 
good friend Mr. Upton.
  There is no partisanship on this floor today. There is a universal 
expression of respect, affection, admiration, sometimes fear, always 
awe. I rise to note the service of a great American, a good man, who 
has advantaged this House, his State, and the American people by his 
service.
  Today, we honor a man who has sat in this Chamber for nearly a 
quarter of its existence. Think about it. He and his father have served 
longer than a quarter of the existence of this House. In so many ways, 
the history of this House is the history of John Dingell and his 
family.
  His father helped create Social Security. John presided over the 
House, as has been noted, when we passed Medicare. In his time here, 
John has had his hand in everything from the Clean Air Act to the 
Endangered Species Act, to the just recently passed Children's Health 
Insurance Program.
  And John Dingell sat to the right of the President of the United 
States as the President signed that bill, and President Obama took that 
first pen with which he signed that bill and turned to Chairman Dingell 
and gave it to him. How appropriate it was for President Obama, a young 
and vigorous President, whose tenure in public office is relatively 
short, to turn and give that pen to an individual whose term in office 
has exceeded now that of every other American in history.

                              {time}  1130

  John was here when we passed the first civil rights bill. John was 
here when we put a man on the Moon. He was here when the Berlin Wall 
and the Twin Towers fell.
  So much of our institutional memory is embodied in this one giant of 
a man, the longest-serving Member in the history of the House--a 
walking, talking, Library of Congress.
  One way to last this long is to keep your head down, to stay quiet 
and unobtrusive, to hope that no one notices you year after year. That 
may be one way. It was not John Dingell's way. But the other way is to 
make yourself so instrumental that your constituents and this body 
could hardly imagine life and legislation without your input, without 
your advice, without your counsel, without your prodding, without your 
expressing a vision for a better America. Everyone here knows that that 
is the path that our friend John Dingell took.
  For more than half a century--it's been mentioned, 19,420 days--John 
came here, to this Chamber, every day, asking what he could do to bring 
a little more security, a little more dignity, a little more 
prosperity, to his constituents and to my constituents, and to all of 
our constituents, to his fellow citizens.
  And he came here to this Chamber, every day, asking what he could do 
to advance the ideals that he has held so tenaciously and so ably and 
defended so passionately throughout his life and throughout his career 
in this body.
  As Michael Barone wrote a few years ago, and I quote, ``Whether you 
agree or disagree, the social Democratic tradition is one of the great 
traditions in our history, and John Dingell has fought for it for a 
very long time.''
  The good news for my great granddaughter is that John Dingell is 
still fighting for that tradition. Still fighting for her and the 
millions of her cohorts, very small. They will not know John Dingell 
personally, but all of them will benefit by John Dingell's

[[Page 3645]]

service and passion and caring and effectiveness as a giant among the 
legislators of our history. He is still fighting. And he will go on 
fighting.
  We know how much more John has to contribute to the life of this 
House and this Nation as he adds to his record every 24 hours, from 
here on out. I want to join my friend Joe Barton, who's John Dingell's 
friend, as is Fred Upton, his friends and his admirers join Joe Barton 
in saying that we look forward to John Dingell's leading us as we 
confront the issue of the passion of his life and of his father's life. 
And that is ensuring that every American has the availability of 
quality health care.
  John Dingell will be the principal sponsor of that health bill, and 
our principal leader on that effort. He has much to do. As Ulysses once 
said, ``Tho' much is taken, much abides.''
  I understand that President Clinton quoted that famous Ulysses poem 
by Alfred Lord Tennyson. That poem ends by saying that, ``Tho' we are 
not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven, that 
which we are, we are. One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by 
time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not 
to yield.''
  Tennyson did not know John Dingell, but Tennyson spoke of the 
character and courage and commitment of our friend, of our historic 
colleague, our chairman, John Dingell of Michigan.
  Congratulations, and thank you.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would yield 2 minutes to my 
good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, the distinguished majority leader, my 
classmate and friend from Maryland, was absolutely right when he 
reminded us that just last night at the great ceremony in Statuary 
Hall, President Clinton directed us to in fact read Tennyson's Ulysses 
last night.
  The thing that struck me as I listened to the majority leader again 
talk about John Dingell was something else that President Clinton said. 
He said, ``Interestingly enough, if you look at the number of 
Presidents with whom,'' and I underscore, John, with whom, as you said 
last night, ``John Dingell has served, it is 25 percent of the 
Presidents--25 percent of the Presidents that we have had in the United 
States of America.''
  It is an absolutely amazing accomplishment, and it's a great 
privilege and honor for me to be able to be part of this.
  John Dingell and I, Mr. Speaker, have not always agreed on every 
single issue, and I know that has clearly come to the forefront from 
probably people on both sides of the aisle. But one of the interesting 
things that I have observed is that alliances regularly shift around 
here.
  In the early 1990s, there was a clash that Mr. Dingell and I had over 
the issue of jurisdiction. I was charged by then-Speaker Gingrich early 
on to bring about a modification in committee jurisdiction. And I did 
some things that my friend John Dingell didn't particularly like.
  But when I talk about how alliances shift, I have to say that then, 
just a few years ago, Mr. Dingell approached me and asked me to help 
him as he was dealing with a jurisdictional challenge, and I totally 
agreed with what it was he was trying to do at that point.
  And so as you look at a long period of time, while we can have 
passionate disagreements, it's clear that we can just as passionately 
come together and agree on some issues.
  John Dingell is clearly an institutionalist. And I told him last 
night, Mr. Speaker, at the great ceremony in Statuary Hall, that I have 
always been struck--I have served in almost every capacity one can on 
the House Rules Committee just upstairs on the third floor, and as all 
of our colleagues know, this is where Members come to testify on behalf 
of amendments or proposals that they would like to have considered on 
the House floor.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. UPTON. I yield the gentleman an additional 2 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. I thank my very good friend for yielding me additional 
time.
  In the Rules Committee, Members have to stand in line to offer their 
testimony. And sometimes, if questions go on, we don't impose limits 
there on questioning, as in the case in other committees, and often one 
person can be there and testify for a long period of time if the 
questioning goes on.
  Well, we will have maybe two-term, second-term Members come in and 
they will get antsy and start to pace around and grumble over the fact 
they are not being immediately recognized before the Rules Committee to 
testify on behalf of the legislation.
  And I will say that I have been regularly struck at the fact that 
John Dingell, the Dean of the House, the chairman of the Energy and 
Commerce Committee, has often come before the House Rules Committee and 
literally sat patiently for 45 minutes, an hour, an hour and a half, as 
others have gone before him to testify, never thinking for one second 
that he should be recognized.
  Now, of course I should say parenthetically that when I was chairman 
of the Rules Committee, I always wanted to rush to recognize John 
Dingell as quickly as I possibly could. But his understanding of this 
institution is, to me, evidenced in what he regularly did when I would 
see him in that capacity in the House Rules Committee.
  And I have to say that he talked about staff members last night, and 
recognizing the people who give us the opportunity to do the work that 
we do is something that John Dingell did so well. And he, of course, 
talked about his wonderful partner, Debbie.
  So, I have to say, Mr. Speaker, this job has a tendency to become 
very frustrating. When you have gone from the majority to the minority, 
and Mr. Dingell knows this, it is frustrating and challenging and 
difficult. But I am in the minority now, and some of the days aren't as 
exciting as they were when I was in the majority.
  To be able to be here on the day that recognizes John Dingell's 
amazing service to this institution is something of which I am very 
proud, and has given me just the boost that I need.
  So, thank you very much, and I thank my friend for yielding.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. As I am a junior Member of the House of 
Representatives, I am very pleased to join you, Mr. Speaker, in this 
recognition. I know that there are a lot of old friends in the House of 
Representatives. But, Mr. Speaker, I hope that Mr. Dingell will count 
me as one of his new friends.
  19,420 days. I can't even imagine, having only served in this House 
for a mere 7\1/2\ months. And, today I think, Mr. Speaker, we value 
more than just the longevity of the service, but we value its 
character, its quality, its substance, and its leadership.
  And so I am really pleased to be here today, Mr. Speaker, in 
celebration of a wonderful time of public service in this institution. 
And I want to share with you that when I arrived in this Congress, Mr. 
Speaker, there was one gentleman who pulled me aside in the Members' 
Cloakroom and he said to me something that I won't forget, and I 
believe will carry many of our junior Members through our time in 
service.
  Mr. Dingell said, ``You are my peer, and don't you ever forget that, 
because it will serve you well in this institution.'' And already that 
has been true.
  Now we talk a lot about the substance of the legislation that Mr. 
Dingell has ushered through for all of us--for my parents, my 
grandparents, for me. But I'd like to talk to about what it means to be 
a Member because very recently Mr. Dingell approached me about a 
situation with a group of high school students from Wyandotte High 
School in Michigan, who were staying in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but had 
to play in the inauguration. And it would have been impossible for them 
to get to the inauguration on time. And so we found a high school out 
in the Fourth Congressional District in Maryland for these students 
from Wyandotte.
  And what that demonstrated to me again, Mr. Speaker, is that Mr. 
Dingell isn't simply about the substance and about the time, but the 
service.

[[Page 3646]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. PETERS. I yield 1 additional minute.
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Thank you. But it isn't simply about that 
substance, but it's also about what it means to serve the people. And 
sometimes that service comes in small ways, and other times it comes in 
big ways.
  And so, already, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Dingell has demonstrated to me that 
we are here for the public service, and that means to our constituents 
in Michigan, in Maryland, and across this country. But we can't forget 
that. And so I thank Mr. Dingell for his longevity and for his 
knowledge and the breadth and also for teaching me a lesson as a junior 
Member of this institution about what it means to serve.
  Mr. UPTON. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

                              {time}  1145

  Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. I thank the gentleman from Michigan very 
much.
  I think that this is just an incredibly appropriate moment to be 
honoring Mr. Dingell, because he is the living link to the principles 
of fairness, justice, and advancing the public interest that animated 
the New Deal, and which remain so relevant today to the important 
issues which we are discussing here, not only on the floor of the 
House, but all across America: The lessons of why we regulate Wall 
Street, why we ensure that those who control the finances of all the 
families in our country have to be watched with an eagle eye. Mr. 
Dingell, who ensured that our securities laws were rewritten to provide 
for protection against insider trading, curbing penny stock 
manipulation, increased civil penalties, the 1990 Market Reform Act. He 
is responsible for so many of the laws that are now going to be looked 
to, to ensure that we enforce our securities laws against those who 
have abused the public trust.
  So while many people look at his work on the National Environmental 
Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the 
Children's Health Insurance Act, North America's first international 
wildlife refuge, there are so many other areas that Mr. Dingell has 
been working on, including the financial regulatory area, and all of 
the telecommunications laws that have made it possible for us to have 
this revolution which now has the words Google and E-Bay and Amazon and 
YouTube part of our vocabulary.
  But for me, the six words that will be remembered are those six words 
that are the most feared words that have ever been spoken in the 
history of the United States Congress, ``I'm just a poor Polish 
lawyer.'' Those words always preceded a dissection by Mr. Dingell in 
brilliant form of the arguments made by those making presentations to 
the Energy and Commerce Committee.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. PETERS. I yield 1 additional minute to the gentleman.
  Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts. Invariably, this brilliant dissection of 
the flaws and the arguments of those who were testifying before our 
committee resulted in legislation that ultimately produced protections 
for the American people in areas across the entire spectrum of the 
lives of every single American. And this legendary legislator has left 
a legacy which will benefit families in our country for centuries to 
come, because like the New Deal principles that his father fought to 
put on the books, John Dingell has ensured that those principles were 
carried forward in the laws that were written during his time here. 
They have been embodied and extended in a way that will protect 
families in our country and, I might say, around the world, because 
they will be emulated for generations to come. And we come here today 
to honor our friend John Dingell for the incredible service that he has 
provided to our country.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that my good friend Ed Markey's 
statement that, ``I'm just a poor Polish lawyer,'' that reminds me of a 
story. I wasn't going to tell this until then, but those of us on the 
committee certainly know the story because our good friend Mr. Tauzin 
has told this story many, many times. And that was when Mr. Dingell, I 
think then the chairman, used that line, ``I'm just a poor Polish 
lawyer.'' And Mr. Tauzin, who is always known to have one of the best 
wits ever not only in this body but across the country, was about to 
relate to him a ``Polish joke,'' Mr. Dingell reminded him that he was 
just a poor Polish lawyer. And Mr. Tauzin then said, ``Well, I will 
then tell the joke very slowly.''
  Mr. Speaker, in the short time that I have served in this body, John 
Dingell and I have had really countless conversations and stories. Our 
offices were across the hall for a number of years, so we would walk to 
the floor for votes. We would do joint press conferences. We often sat 
together on the Northwest flight to Detroit, where I then would fly on 
to Kalamazoo or South Bend and he would stay with his constituents on 
that side of the State. We obviously worked very closely and in my work 
on the committee and subcommittees in so many different ways, as not 
only the dean of the House for Mr. Dingell, he was also the dean of our 
delegation and I have been dean of the Republican side of that 
delegation as well. So our delegations work very closely on many 
fronts. And in all of those conversations, I want to say I think they 
have all ended with his closing, ``God bless you, my friend.''
  We are fortunate that God has blessed the Dingell family, certainly 
this House in all the great work that he has done as a real legislator, 
a good friend of all the people regardless of party or affiliation, or 
staying on the issue. He has been there for the country.
  So we say, God bless you, our friend, Mr. Dingell. We salute you for 
your service. And we look forward to our continuing strong relationship 
in so many ways.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to thank Mr. Upton 
for his comments and for managing the time on his side, and I would 
also like to thank Mr. Kildee for putting forth this resolution.
  Today, we have certainly heard some just incredible testimonials from 
individuals in this House honoring the incredible work of an incredible 
public servant and statesman, Mr. Dingell. It certainly is an honor for 
me to be here and serving with Mr. Dingell, and it is certainly going 
to be an honor to continue to serve with him in the weeks and years 
ahead.
  So it is with great pride that I move that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to House Resolution 154.
  Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American, a 
great servant of the people, a great patriot, and a great friend, the 
longest serving Member of the House, the gentleman from Michigan, 
Congressman John D. Dingell.
  Mr. Speaker, John Dingell has served his district, his State, his 
Nation, and this great and noble body with distinction and honor. His 
achievements on behalf of our Nation are profound, and they are 
numerous. John's unyielding commitment to bettering the lives of the 
people he serves, in fact bettering the lives of all Americans, in this 
great body shines as an example that we can only hope to live up to.
  The gentleman's contribution to our country, and the House of 
Representatives, will stand the test of time. I wish him many more 
years of good health, active service, and I look forward to working 
with him on meeting many of the challenges that we face today. I for 
one can say, with all honesty and a sense of humility, that I feel 
fortunate to have been able to serve with our dean, the gentleman from 
Michigan, John Dingell.
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize 
John D. Dingell and his service to the House of Representatives.
  John Dingell has proven to be a friend, a colleague and an effective 
legislator in all of the years that I have known him as a Member of 
Congress.
  As a fellow member of the Michigan delegation, I am very familiar 
with his tireless advocacy on behalf of his constituents in the State

[[Page 3647]]

of Michigan. With John, Michigan always comes first. You can always 
turn to him for help, regardless of your party.
  For more than 53 years, he has proven to be an unwavering champion of 
Michigan's working men and women.
  His powerful voice is appreciated across the State of Michigan, 
throughout the American automotive and manufacturing industries, and 
within our delegation.
  Congratulations on your historic achievement, Representative Dingell. 
Your dedication to this institution and the people you represent is 
beyond compare.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the 
House of Representatives in honoring Representative John Dingell as the 
longest serving member of the House. Mr. Dingell began his service to 
his country at the young age of 18, when he decided to join the Army. 
Ten years later, Mr. Dingell, the son of a Michigan Congressman, would 
soon follow in his father's footsteps; in 1955, he was elected to 
represent a Michigan district outside Detroit and would continue to 
serve this district for 54 years under 11 presidents.
  A friend and colleague from whom I have gained insight and 
inspiration, Mr. Dingell has provided this chamber with unprecedented 
leadership, presiding over the House Energy and Commerce Committee for 
15 years and heading important issues such as air quality, consumer 
protection, health care, protection for automakers, and energy policy. 
He authored notable bills such as the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1970 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Today, I regard Mr. 
Dingell as one of Washington's most skilled law makers, and am eager to 
work with him as he helps oversee one of the most important reforms in 
this Congress: health care legislation. Throughout his legislative 
career and continuing today, Mr. Dingell has been focused and has acted 
with purpose--a purpose to improve social conditions for not only his 
constituents, but for people across the Nation.
  Representative Dingell continues to provide exceptional leadership to 
the House of Representatives and will serve as an example of democratic 
leadership long after he leaves this chamber. I am proud to extend my 
congratulations and thanks to the Honorable John Dingell.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan, John Dingell, has now become the longest 
serving Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. While Mr. 
Dingell's service to this Congress is worth recognition alone, his many 
accomplishments ensures that he will go down as one of the most 
influential members in the history of Congress.
  John Dingell's service to this body started all the way back in 1938, 
when he served as a Page. Later on, he served in the United States Army 
leaving with the rank of Second Lieutenant. In 1955, Mr. Dingell was 
sworn into office to succeed his father and began a remarkable and 
productive career as a Member of the House.
  In 1981, Mr. Dingell's tenure as the top Democrat on the Energy and 
Commerce Committee began and continued until this very year. I have 
served with Mr. Dingell on the Energy and Commerce Committee for 16 
years. In all that time, he always treated Republicans with respect 
even when we vociferously disagreed, which was fairly often. He was 
always fair and willing to work to find common ground. He is a true 
model for all of us to follow.
  Mr. Dingell has received so many awards and so much recognition in 
his career, that I do not have time to list them all. So I'll highlight 
a few. He has received recognition from the NAACP for his avid support 
of civil rights and from the NRA for his support of the Second 
Amendment. In addition, Mr. Dingell has been Congress' most outspoken 
and tireless advocate for the American automobile industry, which is a 
key component of our nation's economy and of particular importance to 
the district he represents.
  In closing, let's all honor John Dingell for his vigorous and 
unflagging support for this institution and for his long and productive 
tenure in Congress.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise today alongside my 
colleagues to pay tribute to an extraordinary legislator, my friend 
John Dingell.
  John Dingell is, quite simply, a giant of this House. Today he 
reaches a remarkable milestone, becoming the longest-serving member of 
this institution. That achievement alone would be worthy of 
commemoration and celebration. But it's not simply the length of his 
service that makes John remarkable--it's what he has accomplished in 
those 53 years.
  He held the gavel when the House passed the original Medicare 
legislation. He shepherded the landmark Clean Air Act into law. He 
championed the Endangered Species Act. He has fought for health care, 
for workers' rights and for the people of his beloved Michigan.
  He has done all of this--all of this amazing work--with wit, passion, 
and an unshakeable belief in the American spirit. As he recently said 
in an interview, ``Eighty-two years ago, I hit the jackpot. I was born 
in the United States of America. That's the greatest thing that ever 
happened to me.''
  And on a personal note, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank John and his 
wife Debbie for their kindness and friendship to my wife Lisa and me. 
They have enriched our lives in so many ways, and we will be forever 
grateful.
  So congratulations, John Dingell. Here's to another 53 years of 
service to America.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 
140 to honor Congressman John D. Dingell for holding the record as the 
longest serving Member of the House of Representatives.
  John D. Dingell's exemplary record of public service and dedication 
to serving the American people began at the age of 18. During World War 
II, he served as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and 
received orders to take part in the first wave of a planned invasion of 
Japan. Fortunately, the war ended, probably saving the life of Mr. 
Dingell.
  After finishing his military service, Congressman Dingell attended 
Georgetown University where he studied Chemistry, and later continued 
his studies at Georgetown Law School. Mr. Dingell returned to Michigan 
to work successively as a National Park Ranger, a prosecuting attorney 
for Wayne County, and he also ran his own private law office.
  In 1955, John D. Dingell took office in the U.S. House of 
Representatives after winning a special election to replace his father. 
Congressman Dingell was elected to his 28th term this past November, 
and has served as Dean of the House since the 104th Congress.
  As a scientist, I recognize that John D. Dingell's background in 
Chemistry and his experience as a National Park Ranger helped him 
understand science and environmental policy. In fact, Congressman 
Dingell has authored or been instrumental in the passage of some of our 
nation's most important environmental laws, including the National 
Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air 
Act Amendments of 1990.
  Mr. Dingell's more than 53-year length of service has given him 
considerable wisdom and a deep understanding of Congressional 
procedures. He has earned the titles ``Dean of the House'' and ``Dean 
of the Michigan Delegation''. He is a model public servant, and we all 
benefit from his wisdom and good counsel. New Members of Congress and 
our youth should seek his advice.
  On a personal note, I am deeply grateful for Congressman Dingell's 
helpful guidance when I joined the U.S. House of Representatives after 
winning a special election. Also, I sincerely appreciate his 
willingness to work with me on environmental policy issues. I truly 
value Mr. Dingell's friendship and certainly wish him many more years 
of successful work in the U.S. Congress.
  Congressman has tirelessly advocated on behalf of his constituents 
and the people of Michigan. He deserves to be honored for his lifelong 
commitment to public service, and his dedication to the U.S. Congress 
should be celebrated.
  Please join me honoring John D. Dingell by supporting this important 
resolution.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, history is fleeting, unless you are part of 
making it. Few in this House, nor outside this body, would take issue 
with the proposition that John D. Dingell has been a maker of history 
most of his days here. I rise today to honor our esteemed colleague, 
Congressman John D. Dingell, as the longest serving member of the U.S. 
House of Representatives.
  As the youngest elected, longest serving Member of Congress in the 
history of the House, I can attest to the trials and tribulations, the 
trophies and triumphs of tenure. It has been my honor to work alongside 
Mr. Dingell over the last 32-plus years.
  We have fought together in the trenches of Congress to bring 
affordable healthcare to the elderly, to craft a reasoned and balanced 
view of the U.S. role in a lasting peace in the Middle East, and to 
champion the safe usage of our precious natural resources.
  Today, the ``Dynamo of Detroit'' has reached a remarkable milestone: 
19,420 days of service in the House of Representatives. He stepped into 
a seat vacated by his late father, John Dingell, Sr., on September 19, 
1955, but his service to our Nation began many years prior.
  In 1941, when serving as a congressional page in our hallowed halls, 
he was standing on the House Floor, when President Roosevelt

[[Page 3648]]

asked Congress to declare war on Japan. He not only heard that call but 
answered it, and went on to serve in the Army, rising to the rank of 
second lieutenant.
  After taking up his father's mantle to represent the people of 
Michigan's 15th Congressional District, he worked on legislation that 
has strengthened the fabric of our Nation, voting on the Civil Rights 
legislation of the 1960s and helping pass into law Medicare in 1965.
  Congressman Dingell has not just lived history; he has truly made 
history.
  Public service at times rises and sadly falls in the imaginations of 
our Nation's youth. As testament to what can be the very best of public 
service, we need to look no further than the legacy of John Dingell. 
The length of his tenure only serves to underscore his noble service.
  Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate my colleague on 
this great milestone. It has been an honor and unique privilege to 
serve beside him as my senior colleague, my mentor, and my friend. With 
my election to this Congress, I am now the longest serving House member 
from the State of West Virginia, and I look forward to many more years 
of working together with the gentleman who has served his State and 
this Nation longer than anyone in the history of this House.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John 
Dingell as the longest serving member of the House of Representatives 
and to offer my support for this resolution. He has been a mentor to 
many members of Congress, including me.
  I have had the privilege of serving and working with Congressman 
Dingell on the Energy and Commerce Committee since joining that 
Committee in 1996. Under his leadership, we have worked to expand and 
improve healthcare coverage, develop sound energy policy, enhance 
consumer protection, and address numerous other issues under the 
Committee's jurisdiction.
  I cannot say enough about his leadership to make healthcare more 
affordable and accessible to all Americans. We worked together on the 
State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP reauthorization, 
which the President signed into law last week, and legislation to 
expand federally qualified health centers that significantly improves 
healthcare access for individuals in underserved areas like our 
district.
  Over his career, John Dingell has had a hand in pieces of legislation 
from Medicare passing in 1965, to the Clean Air Act, to the Endangered 
Species Act, the Do Not Call list, and numerous other laws. He also 
played an unprecedented and vigorous roll in oversight while Chairman 
of the Committee to ensure government programs are working for the 
people, and he continues to do so today.
  It has truly been an honor to serve with John Dingell and work 
closely with him on the Energy and Commerce Committee. I congratulate 
him becoming the longest serving member in the history of the House of 
Representatives, and look forward to continuing to work with him on the 
many issues he has championed as long as I have known him.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend my colleague 
Congressman John Dingell on his five decades of distinguished service 
to the people of Michigan and the United States.
  Today we celebrate Congressman Dingell becoming the longest-serving 
Member of the United States House of Representatives in this body's 
history. As we recognize our colleague's longevity, we reserve our 
highest of praise for the exceptional record of service he has compiled 
over his years of service.
  Our Nation owes a debt of gratitude for Mr. Dingell's career. If not 
for John Dingell, millions of children would not have received health 
care under the Children's Health Insurance Program. If not for John 
Dingell, hundreds of animal species would not have been saved from 
extinction by the Endangered Species Act. If not for John Dingell, our 
atmosphere would not have been protected by the effects of the Clean 
Air Act. If not for John Dingell, our Nation's workers, environment, 
children, and people would not enjoy so many of the protections they do 
today.
  As we commemorate this historical milestone in Congressman Dingell's 
career, we must recognize his determination to continue advocating on 
behalf of all American citizens. Every Congress, Congressman Dingell 
introduces legislation creating a health care system guaranteeing 
coverage to every American. As this House honors its Dean with our 
words today, I hope that we may have the opportunity to honor him with 
our deeds by finally creating a long-overdue universal health care 
system before the end of this Congressional session.
  I join my colleagues in applauding the career of Congressman Dingell 
and thank Mr. Dingell for his decades of service to our Nation.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of 
Representative John Dingell Jr., who today becomes the longest serving 
Member in House history passing the Honorable Jamie L. Whitten. I want 
to thank Representative Dingell for his friendship and all the guidance 
he has shown me over the more than twelve years I have been in 
Congress. From his service in the United States Army to his diligent 
study of law at Georgetown University, his unwavering commitment and 
service to our nation has and will continue to be a benchmark my 
colleagues and I strive to match.
  Representative Dingell, Jr. began his service in the House on 
December 13, 1955, and since then has honorably filled the seat his 
father once held. Over the course of his accomplished career, he has 
championed legislation that over time has proven to be critical to our 
nation's well being. As chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee 
for twelve years, he was an ardent advocate of environmental 
legislation and broke down partisan barriers in his pursuit to uncover 
instances of government waste and corruption. Under his watch, the 
Committee became one of the largest and wide-ranging in the House 
carrying with it a reputation for intolerance of federal mismanagement.
  While steadfast in his own principles, the Representative's 
determination to work with others continually sets him apart from other 
lawmakers. On a personal note, his critical work with me in passing the 
National Instance Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement 
Amendments Act of 2007 is a testament to his uncanny ability to find 
middle-ground on often divisive issues. The work that we did on that 
legislation will hopefully go a long way towards making our communities 
safer.
  As Representative Dingell, Jr. begins his 19,420th day in office, I 
extend my congratulations to him in what has been and what will 
continue to be an exceptional career.
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Chairman Emeritus 
Dingell for achieving a great milestone that no one has achieved 
before--serving the people of Michigan for 19,420 days and becoming the 
longest serving member of the House of Representatives in U.S. history.
  Long before I was elected to Congress, I looked to Chairman Dingell 
for inspiration and guidance. In fact his service began before I was 
born.
  I was deeply honored after being elected to represent Missouri in 
this great body when Dingell, as the Dean of the House, agreed to meet 
with me and offer his unmatched advice and counsel. What made it even 
more worthwhile was the fact that he had served with my grandfather ASJ 
Carnahan in this same body in the 1950s. It was a pleasure to hear of 
stories he and my grandfather shared together.
  He has achieved a great deal since 1955 when he was first elected 
having presided over the House when Medicare was created to care for 
some of our most vulnerable citizens 10 years after he was first 
elected.
  Both Congressman John D. Dingell Sr., the Chairman's father, and 
President Harry S. Truman of Missouri fought for a national health care 
system together. It was a cause important to Congressman Dingell Sr. 
and has continued to be a cause Chairman Dingell has championed. 
Chairman Dingell has worked with eleven U.S. presidents spanning his 
career--a quarter of the 44 Presidents in the entire history of our 
country.
  Today I am delighted that I can continue to tell friends and family 
that I have served with Chairman Dingell and look forward to working 
with him to expand health care so that the more than 47 million 
Americans without health care can have the peace of mind that they and 
their loved ones will be cared for.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as do so many, to honor John 
Dingell as he achieves a great milestone: our longest-serving House 
member.
  In December 1955, at the age of 29, John won a special election to 
replace his father. 19,420 days later, we honor him and his spectacular 
record in serving the people of the United States and of his Michigan 
district.
  In December 1955--just to give you a sense of the eras, then and 
now--Rosa Parks took a stand by refusing to give up her seat on a bus 
home from work in Montgomery, Alabama.
  Today, as we honor John, we have an African-American President.
  People make change--and John Dingell has made more than his share.
  As Chairman, now Chairman Emeritus, of the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, he has carried perhaps the broadest portfolio of any House 
member in history, from energy, trade and telecommunications to 
Medicare,

[[Page 3649]]

Medicaid, consumer protection and government oversight and 
investigations--Energy and Commerce handled up to 40% of all House 
legislation in some sessions.
  An avid outdoorsman and former forest ranger, John was an 
``environmentalist'' before the word ``environmentalist'' existed.
  He was instrumental in the passage of some of our nation's most 
important environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, the 
National Environmental Policy Act, and the 1990 Clean Air Act.
  And John almost single-handedly has created the Detroit River 
International Wildlife Refuge, which began in 2001 with some 400 acres 
and has grown since then to encompass over 4,000 acres from River Rouge 
to Lake Erie.
  He has been steadfast in supporting health care for all Americans. 
Each Congress, he sponsors a national health insurance plan--picking up 
the baton from his father who first introduced it in 1943. He fought 
for the Patient's Bill of Rights and the Children's Health Insurance 
Program. And he was the presiding officer as this House passed Medicare 
in 1965.
  Together, John and I worked on identifying the persistence of the 
``glass ceiling'' which limits the advancement of women in the 
workplace.
  John could not have known in 1955 the changes he would see, and the 
change he would make, as a member of this body. It has been a career of 
accomplishment--but now, also, it is a career of longevity.
  Martin Luther King once said ``It is the quality, not the longevity 
of one's life that is important.'' But John Dingell has had BOTH 
quality and longevity. May he keep up the great work.
  John, please accept my humble congratulations and extend my love to 
Debbie and your family.
  Mr. EDWARDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my 
friend and colleague, John Dingell for becoming the longest serving 
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Mr. Dingell's service is unparalleled. For 53 years, he has worked 
diligently for the American people and his legislative accomplishments 
are unparalleled. Serving alongside Chairman Dingell, I've come to know 
why he has earned the deep respect and admiration of scores of House 
Members, Senators and 11 different Presidents.
  A true champion of health care reform, John Dingell has been at the 
center of every major health policy reform of the last 50 years. In 
1965, he was central to the creation of Medicare, a program that saves 
millions of elderly Americans from the horrors of poverty and disease 
every year. Continuing his fight for a healthier country, John has 
worked on behalf of children, the poor, and many others who can't 
afford quality heath care and has been a visionary in authoring 
legislation to ensure affordable health care for all.
  Today John Dingell broke a record, but that record won't be why we 
remember him. It will be his character, his accomplishments, and his 
unyielding belief that this institution can make a positive impact in 
the lives of everyday Americans. Today John Dingell made history, but 
his lasting legacy will be how he has shaped the history of a great 
nation through a lifetime of public service.
  I consider it one of the true privileges of my lifetime to know John 
Dingell as a colleague, a mentor and a close personal friend. His 
wisdom and his example of leadership will continue to make a difference 
for American families long after we here are long gone. God bless John 
Dingell and the love of his life, his wife, Debra.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 
154, which honors John Dingell for being the longest serving member of 
the House of Representatives.
  John Dingell came to Congress in 1955 at the age of 29 and in his 
more than 53 years in the House, including 16 as the chairman of the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, has represented energetically and 
effectively the constituents of his southeastern Michigan district.
  Longevity alone, however, does not distinguish John Dingell, and the 
Dean of the House has been at the center of almost every major 
legislative accomplishment of this body since his earliest days in 
Congress. In 1965, Representative Dingell presided over the House 
chamber when the House passed the Social Security Act of 1965, creating 
Medicare. Years later, the one-time forest ranger, and avid 
outdoorsman, helped usher through Congress the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973 and the Clean Air Act of 1990.
  Throughout his distinguished career, he has led the fight to ensure 
that all Americans have access to affordable health care, fought to 
close corporate loopholes, investigated government waste of taxpayer 
dollars, and advocated for the safety of consumers. Most recently, 
Representative Dingell played a key roll in the passage of the. 
Consumer Products Safety and Improvement Act, which was signed into law 
last August.
  In my few years in the House, I have been honored to have served 
beside John Dingell. I have learned a great deal from such a 
thoughtful, serious legislator, and I look forward to working with him 
as Congress continues to address the country's economic, health care, 
and climate challenges.
  I join my colleagues in honoring an institution in the House of 
Representatives, John Dingell, for his service to his constituents, the 
Congress, and the country.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
154, which honors John D. Dingell for holding the record as the longest 
serving member of the House of Representatives.
  This resolution pays tribute to a man who has given his life to 
public service. Prior to Congress, John served with dedication as a 
Congressional page, National Park Ranger, a Second Lieutenant in the 
U.S. Army, and a county prosecutor.
  On December 13, 1955, John won a special election to replace his 
father in the House or Representatives and has been reelected 27 times 
to represent the families of Michigan. He has served honorably as dean 
of House of Representatives since the 104th Congress.
  I first met Congressman Dingell when I was elected to the House of 
Representatives in 2000. It has been a true honor to serve as a 
Representative along with such a distinguished gentleman.
  Throughout his tenure in the House, John has fought tirelessly for 
working families. As a member, ranking member, and chairman of the 
House Energy and Commerce Committee, he has been a leader in protecting 
the environment and health of all Americans.
  As the Congress looks towards reforming our healthcare system, we 
must thank John for paving the way by increasing access for family and 
children. Every year since 1957, John has introduced a bill that would 
provide national health insurance for all Americans. The passage of the 
Children's Health Insurance Program signed into law in 1997 and an 
expansion of the program in 2009 could not have been done without him.
  John has also been instrumental in the passage of environmental 
legislation including the National Environmental Policy Act, the 
Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.
  I want to take this time to recognize John's wife Debbie who has been 
his dedicated partner during his service to our great nation.
  Congratulations John. I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution 
and to recognize my dear friend, John Dingell, on his lifetime of 
public service.
  Over the last 53 years, John Dingell has stood larger than life. His 
dedication to his district, state and country has been a tremendous 
source of inspiration to me and my colleagues. I know that the United 
States of America is a safer, cleaner and healthier country because of 
his tireless efforts.
  As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I have had the 
privilege of serving under Chairman Dingell. As Chairman, his wisdom 
and judgment were only outdone by his kindness and generosity. I know 
that every member in this chamber is a better representative today 
because of the lessons we have learned from him.
  In the 111th Congress, I look forward to continue working with, and 
learning from, John Dingell as he continues to fight for American 
families. This year we plan to work to provide universal health care, 
improve safety standards in toys, and find a solution to address global 
climate change, and John Dingell will be a major factor in each of 
these efforts.
  On a personal note I also deeply appreciate the friendship extended 
to me and my family by John and Debbie Dingell. They are always there 
for friends who need comfort and care. I congratulate and thank John 
Dingell for everything that he has and will accomplish in the years 
ahead.
  Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I have been proud to have 
served as a Member of the State House of Representatives in Michigan 
and now as a Member of the United States House of Representatives for 
more than three decades. I know first-hand of the hard work and 
leadership of the long-term Chairman Emeritus John Dingell. People 
outside of the great State of Michigan, in which I have been proud to 
serve as a Member of the State House of Representatives in Michigan and 
now as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for more than 
three decades know the long-time Chairman Emeritus

[[Page 3650]]

of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee as John D. Dingell. In 
Michigan, we know Chairman Dingell as a dedicated, devoted and dutiful 
public servant who continues to serve the people of Michigan's 15th 
Congressional District and the United States superbly. As the Dean of 
the U.S. House of Representatives, Chairman Dingell has been a fighter 
for the automotive industry; a protector of our environment; a dogged 
investigator and leader of Federal oversight; and one of the leading 
supporters of health care for all Americans.
  Chairman Dingell's sense of public service goes beyond his service as 
a Member of Congress for more than the past five decades. Chairman 
Dingell, who began learning his skill as a legislator at the feet of 
his father, John, the Chairman joined the U.S. Army at the age of 18 to 
fight in WWII. After graduating from college, working as a forest 
ranger and becoming a lawyer, Chairman Dingell became a member of our 
august body after winning the seat of his departed dad.
  Chairman Dingell's influence upon the lives of all Americans is broad 
and deep. As the longtime Chairman of the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, to which more than two-thirds of all legislation in Congress 
is referred, Chairman Dingell has been at the forefront of legislation 
that has improved the health of minorities, women, and men; improved 
the quality of the water we drink, the food we eat, and the very air 
that we breathe; and uncovered some of the worst fraud, waste and abuse 
of scarce American tax dollars.
  Every Congress for more than the past five decades, Chairman Dingell 
has introduced legislation that would guarantee each and every American 
access to health care. This is carrying on a family tradition that was 
begun by his father, and continued by the son. This is but one of the 
hundreds of bills and laws that Chairman Dingell has directly 
influenced. Under Chairman Dingell, we discovered that the Department 
of Defense were paying more than $600 for a toilet seat. The ``Do Not 
Call'' law that restricted telemarketers from interrupting our homes. 
The recently-signed into law State Children's Health Insurance Plan, 
guaranteeing health insurance for millions of children of working 
families. Saving our beloved Great Lakes from pollution. Preserving 
America's forestry and animal heritage with the Endangered Species Act. 
Ensuring that women and minorities are counted and considered as we 
find cures for cancer, AIDS, and other debilitating diseases. Fighting 
for the American automobile industry. And finally, Chairman Dingell's 
work to establish a ``Patient's Bill of Rights'' that means that 
doctors, not insurance bureaucrats, make decisions for our health care. 
In more than half a century of service to all Americans, Chairman 
Dingell has a record of achievement that will not be surpassed. It is a 
record that I respected as a Member of Michigan's State legislature, 
and it is one that I continue to respect to this very day.
  I join my colleagues in congratulating Chairman John Dingell, along 
with all of Michigan's sons and daughters, regardless of race, 
religion, or party affiliation, on his record length of service to our 
Nation. Chairman Dingell's service has made a difference for us all. I 
am proud to honor Chairman Dingell for a lifetime of dedication to our 
country.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of John D. Dingell's 
distinguished service in the House of Representatives, and in support 
of H. Res. 154. As many of the other speakers have noted, we do not 
just honor him for this longevity in this institution, but for what he 
has done while he has served here. For more than 50 years, he has 
represented the interests of working Americans from across this 
country, and particularly from his home district in Michigan. He has 
been a strong defender of rights: a strong voice for civil rights and 
civil liberties, and a leader in environmental protection. He has 
brought his intellect and passion to bear to address the challenge of 
health care access, helping establish Medicare in 1965, the Children's 
Health Insurance Program in 1997, and many other health initiatives 
since and between. He understands the urgency that remains on this 
issue, and I can think of no person better positioned to make expanding 
health coverage for all Americans a reality.
  One of the things I really respect about John, beyond his commitment 
and dedication to this country, is his honesty. When he says something, 
his word is his bond. It says a lot about this institution when the 
Dean of the House is reliable like that, and whether he is with you or 
against you know where you stand. I have appreciated working alongside 
him throughout my own service in this distinguished House.
  I salute Congressman Dingell's long commitment to public service, his 
impressive record of accomplishment, and his defense of working 
Americans. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring his service by 
voting for H. Res. 154.
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 154, 
a resolution honoring my good friend and colleague, Representative John 
Dingell for becoming the longest-serving member of the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  A true public servant, Mr. Dingell has devoted more than half of his 
life to the service of our nation both in his home state of Michigan 
and in the United States Congress. Today marks the 54th year of his 
commitment and dedication to the American people and a day when Mr. 
Dingell has surpassed every other member of the House of 
Representatives with the longest tenure in House history.
  Over the past half-century, Mr. Dingell has proudly championed the 
rights of workers from being a longtime supporter of equal pay for 
equal work, to supporting collective bargaining rights. However, he is 
perhaps best known for his vigorous approach to government oversight.
  As an icon serving on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Mr. 
Dingell fought for environmental protections and defended consumer 
rights. He displayed great leadership and stewardship in ushering 
through important pieces of legislation such as the landmark Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, and the Clean Air Act of 1990. Additionally, Mr. 
Dingell has consistently sought to uncover government corruption and 
waste, ensuring American tax dollars are spent wisely and 
transparently.
  Today, I proudly recognize Mr. Dingell's distinguished service to the 
United States. He has been and will continue to be a role model to me 
and hundreds of others in this chamber. I am honored to serve with him 
and wish him well on this historic day.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 154.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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