[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 4176-4185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE SERVICE OF JOHN V. SULLIVAN, HOUSE PARLIAMENTARIAN, UPON 
                             HIS RETIREMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gardner). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 5, 2011, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  The Chair understands that all time yielded by Mr. Dingell will be 
yielded through Mr. LaTourette.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank the Speaker very much, and I understand that 
I can't ask unanimous consent to give half to the dean of the House, 
but we're going to work it out, and since we're talking about the 
Parliamentarian, hopefully we'll get a favorable ruling from the 
Parliamentarian on the distribution of time. I'm going to be joined on 
the Democratic side in this rare burst of bipartisanship by the dean of 
the House, Mr. Dingell of Michigan, and a number of Members on both 
sides of the aisle are going to come talk about what to some of us was 
kind of a shock, and that is the announced retirement of our 
Parliamentarian, John Sullivan.
  Because I'm going to be here for the full hour along with Mr. 
Dingell, I'm going to yield to Members who have other time commitments, 
but I want to make sure that they have the opportunity to say what it 
is they feel they need to express about Mr. Sullivan's service to the 
House.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to Mr. Thornberry of 
Texas.
  Mr. THORNBERRY. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, every person elected to the House believes that we're 
here to do important work on behalf of our district. Of course, the 
House is bigger than any one issue or any one person. Yet, there are a 
relatively small number of persons who are central to the functioning 
of this House. Too often, I'm afraid, Members get so wrapped up in what 
we're trying to do that maybe we take for granted the institution of 
the House. But it is the institution that is established in the 
Constitution. It's the institution that provides the continuity of 
government as political majorities come and go, and it's the 
institution that provides the legitimacy and the respect for what we do 
here.
  I say all that to make the point that I think, in many ways, the 
Parliamentarian is the central figure for the institution of the House. 
Since 1927, there have only been four of them, and in my time here, we 
have been incredibly privileged to have had two outstanding public 
servants, Charles Johnson and John Sullivan, serve in that position.
  It is with some regret, but even more with respect and gratitude, 
that we honor the service, but I'd say just as much the character and 
the intellectual integrity, of John Sullivan as he leaves the House to 
begin a new chapter in his life.
  As one of those who has benefited from John's steady guidance while I 
was in the chair, I can testify to his even temper. He guides our 
proceedings with intellect and logic, based on the Constitution, the 
rules of the House, and our precedent. But at the same time, he is able 
to factor in the human dimension, taking into account the personality 
of the person in the chair as well as that of the persons at the 
microphone. And that means it's as much art as it is science to keep 
the House running smoothly.
  Much of the work he does, of course, is done off the House floor, 
advising Members and staff as to how they can accomplish their goals 
within the rules and precedents of the House. I have tremendous 
respect, though, for John's abilities and for his professionalism. But 
I have even greater appreciation for his commitment to and his love for 
this institution, for that portion of his heart that he has given to 
the House for the past 25 years.
  He has elevated each of us who have worked with him, but more 
importantly, he has elevated the institution of the House of 
Representatives through which government by the people's 
representatives is possible. He is among our best and brightest, and 
all of us here, and the institution, will miss him greatly.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and to extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on the matter of this 
Special Order, referring very specifically to our dear friend, the 
Parliamentarian, Mr. Sullivan.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DINGELL. I want to thank the Chair for the kindness that you have 
shown me, and I want to express my particular thanks and good wishes to 
my dear friend, Mr. LaTourette, before this matter, and now, through 
the distinguished gentleman from Ohio, I yield to the distinguished 
minority leader, my friend, Mr. Hoyer, the gentleman from Maryland.

                              {time}  1850

  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank the 
gentleman from Michigan, but certainly also my friend from Ohio, both 
of whom have served here for a long period of time and who love this 
institution and know how critical the functions are of the 
Parliamentarian. I want to thank them both.
  Mr. Dingell has had the privilege of serving alongside all four of 
the men who have been the modern Parliamentarians in this House. I've 
had the privilege of serving with three of them.
  When the Framers of the Constitution wrote article I, section 5, 
clause 2, they probably had little idea of the volume of precedents 
that would accumulate in the 224 years since the House convened and 
adopted its first rules.
  Today, the job of the Parliamentarian is probably one of the most 
difficult in Washington. A thorough understanding of the rules of 
precedents is a prerequisite to be an accomplished Parliamentarian. 
John Sullivan has that. One must also, however, have the respect of 
every Member of this House. John Sullivan has that.
  That is what John Sullivan achieved over the course of his 17 years 
in the Parliamentarian's Office. As our Parliamentarian for the last 8 
of those years, John has sat beside the Speaker's rostrum through some 
of the most heated floor debates I've ever seen, indeed perhaps in 
which I've participated.
  Throughout, he preserved the impartiality of and the high regard for 
his office in the eyes of both Democrats and Republicans--when 
Democrats were in charge and when Republicans were in charge--and he 
demonstrated his keen and incisive command of precedent issuing his 
rulings.

[[Page 4177]]

  Hearing of John's decision to retire, I was among the many Members 
who felt that they were losing a respected colleague and friend. 
Because after his tenure here, John Sullivan has left his mark on the 
House no less than any of us who were elected to serve here by our 
constituents. He, no less than ourselves, has served the American 
people well.
  As we wish him the best in retirement, we also welcome as our new 
Parliamentarian a man who is eminently qualified to succeed him in 
office. Tom Wickham has been at John's side throughout his tenure in 
the Parliamentarian's Office, and I know John is leaving us in very 
capable hands.
  Mr. Speaker, I join you and my colleagues and everyone else who has 
come to the floor this evening celebrating John's service to this House 
and to our Nation.
  I wish him well and thank him for all he has done to preserve the 
order--and with it the honor--of the people's House.
  John, you have been a great public servant in the best traditions of 
that term. You have been someone, as I said earlier, who has been 
respected by every leader of both parties, an individual who has 
listened intently, who has judged fairly, and whose judgments have made 
this House better.
  John Sullivan, well done, the House's good and faithful servant. Well 
done as a friend and colleague and adviser.
  Many of us are better Members of this House because of John's counsel 
through the years, and this House is certainly a better place for his 
service. I congratulate him and wish him Godspeed.
  And I thank the gentleman from Michigan and the gentleman from Ohio 
for leading this Special Order to praise and give testimony to the 
outstanding service of our friend, John Sullivan.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished 
minority whip for those observations.
  It is now my pleasure to yield to the distinguished chairman of the 
Rules Committee, Mr. Dreier of California, who, sadly, like Mr. 
Sullivan, has decided to move into retirement. And like Mr. Sullivan, 
he will be greatly missed for his institutional knowledge in the House 
of Representatives.
  Mr. DREIER. I thank my friend for yielding.
  I want to join the distinguished gentleman from Maryland in 
expressing appreciation to my friends, Messrs. Dingell and LaTourette, 
for taking time out to talk about John Sullivan. It is true that I 
decided to follow the Sullivan lead, and I too will be leaving the 
Congress. I'm going to stay a little longer than John has. I'm going to 
stay until January, but I will tell you that this place is a much 
better institution for the service of John Sullivan.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by associating myself with the 
remarks of my friend from Maryland, with one very important correction. 
We scurried around over here when my friend said 17 years. It, in fact, 
is 27 years that John Sullivan has served in the Parliamentarian's 
Office. So I offer that one minor, but very important, correction to my 
friend from Maryland.
  I take to the well to do something that I don't often do and that is 
to read. The reason I'm doing it is I'm trying to show off the Rules 
Committee. We're very proud of the fact that the House Committee on 
Rules--I'd say to my friend from Michigan and my friend from Ohio, 
however eloquent you all will be in talking about John Sullivan, you 
have not done what the Rules Committee did last night, and that is pass 
out a resolution, an enrolled resolution commemorating the great 
service of John Sullivan. So I would like to share that with our 
colleagues, if I might.
  It says:

       Whereas the Honorable John V. Sullivan has been a committed 
     government servant for over 40 years and worked in the House 
     of Representatives for 27 years;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan was appointed to the Office of the 
     Parliamentarian in 1987 and, over the ensuing 25 years has 
     served under six successive Speakers, the past eight years as 
     Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives under the 
     appointments of three successive Speakers;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan has displayed extraordinary rigor in 
     the application of pertinent precedent to every parliamentary 
     question and provided sage counsel and advice in matters 
     critical to the institution;
       Whereas the Committee on Rules constantly relies on the 
     advice, counsel, and expertise of Mr. Sullivan to meet the 
     Committee's obligations to the House;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan has cultivated and led a team of 
     dedicated and nonpartisan deputies, assistants, and clerks 
     committed to ensuring that the decisions of the Chair and the 
     operation of the rostrum are regarded by all as fair, 
     accurate, and professional;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan has served the House during a period 
     of ongoing transition with shifting majorities, and has done 
     so to the same standard of nonpartisan excellence expected 
     from the Parliamentarian;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan participated in numerous programs of 
     the House Democracy Partnership, providing advice and counsel 
     to legislators from new and reemerging democracies around the 
     globe as they work to strengthen their legislative 
     institutions, reform their rules of procedure, and amend 
     their constitutions;
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan has endeavored to update the practices 
     and procedures of the House to reflect developments in 
     technology while remaining faithful to the institution's 
     Constitutional underpinnings; and
       Whereas Mr. Sullivan has informed the Speaker that he will 
     be beginning a well-deserved retirement on the last day of 
     March, two thousand and twelve: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Committee on Rules, on behalf of the Committee and 
     the House, expresses its profound gratitude to the Honorable 
     John V. Sullivan for his exemplary record of service and his 
     steady, impartial advice and guidance as the Parliamentarian 
     of the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Clerk of the Committee is hereby directed to 
     prepare this resolution in a manner suitable for presentation 
     to Mr. Sullivan.

  I signed this, as did the ranking member, my good friend from 
Rochester, Ms. Slaughter.
  This is suitable for framing. We will have one for framing, and Mr. 
Sullivan will be able to have this. I would like to, Mr. Speaker, just 
take a moment, if I might, since everyone will be talking about John's 
work here--I mentioned the work up in the Rules Committee and we did 
have one whereas clause where we talked about the House Democracy 
Partnership. I would like to share with our colleagues the work of the 
House Democracy Partnership, because not everyone is aware of the 
projects that the House Democracy Partnership has taken on.
  It is an extraordinarily bipartisan organization that in the post-
September 11 world was designed to focus on strengthening the 
legislative branches. I see my good friend from Texas (Mr. Conaway) 
here who is a member of our partnership. It is designed to strengthen 
the legislative branches in new and reemerging democracies around the 
world.

                              {time}  1900

  My colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Price) and I serve as cochairs 
of this effort, and we just established our 17th partner in central 
Asia, the country of Kyrgyzstan; and, in fact, we're going to be, at 
the end of this week, continuing our mission. We're going to be going 
to two of our partner countries, Kosovo and Macedonia; and we'll be in 
Libya and Egypt as well, where we're going to be talking about the 
importance of strong, vibrant parliaments.
  Well, I've got to say that the House Democracy Partnership and these 
countries have been the great beneficiaries of John Sullivan's 
expertise, specifically in Kenya.
  We had an opportunity to visit Liberia and Kenya, two of our partner 
countries. We were in Mali, as well, on this one particular trip. 
Following the very, very tragic aftermath of the '07 elections in 
Kenya, there was a huge change that took place--lots of disruption, to 
put it mildly. And Kenya has just gone through a whole constitution 
reform process.
  When we were in Kenya, John Sullivan spent time looking at the 
proposed constitution, meeting with the staff members and members of 
Parliament in Kenya, and he was virtually immediately able to cite a 
number of discrepancies that took place in the constitution. And so his 
very, very shrewd skill and expertise has not only been utilized to the 
benefit of the United States House of Representatives, but, in Kenya 
and in other countries that we have visited, John Sullivan has been 
able to use his expertise

[[Page 4178]]

for the expansion of democracies around the world. He's met with a 
number of our incoming delegations, and it has been, again, 
extraordinarily important work.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to express my appreciation to John for his 
work and to express best wishes. We all know that Wick has big shoes to 
fill, but he's going to do a stellar job in this very, very important 
position as Parliamentarian.
  And I have to say that I hope very much that, as John Sullivan goes 
into retirement, he will continue, as his predecessor Charlie Johnson 
has, to focus on this institution and also on the imperative of doing 
what we can to expand self-determination, political pluralism, and the 
development of democratic institutions around the world as well.
  So I say congratulations. I'm now going to present this to our 
friend, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my friends for yielding.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield to my dear friend from 
California (Mr. Schiff), through my distinguished friend from Ohio.
  Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise to thank 
our House Parliamentarian, John Sullivan, for his years of service to 
his Nation and to the House of Representatives. John has been a trusted 
adviser and an honest broker of the rules of the House. He has served 
at a time when partisan rancor has, unfortunately, been prevalent in 
this body, but his integrity and impartiality have remained beyond 
question and beyond reproach.
  John joined the Office of the Parliamentarian 25 years ago, rising to 
his current role in 2004 when he was appointed by Speaker Hastert. 
Before joining the Office of the Parliamentarian, he had a 
distinguished career as an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force. He 
also served as respected counsel on the House Armed Services Committee.
  As Parliamentarian, John's keen legal mind and passion for the 
Constitution has always been apparent. I remember with great fondness 
working with the Parliamentarian on some very difficult issues 
involving the Armenian genocide, one of the most challenging 
parliamentary issues I think we've faced in terms of how to navigate 
questions of germaneness. Through that process, and every other that I 
have come to work with the Parliamentarian, I respected his insights, 
his intellect, his integrity, and his dedication to his job.
  He has been a phenomenal asset to this institution, and I know that 
his successor, Tom Wickham, who currently serves as Deputy 
Parliamentarian, will continue in John's legacy of professionalism.
  John, I want to thank you for your service to this body, and I know 
that my colleagues join me in wishing you the best of luck in future 
endeavors.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, its now my pleasure to yield--and you'll 
notice a theme here. There's nothing greater than the honor of being 
asked by the Speaker, either Mr. Boehner or Ms. Pelosi or Mr. Hastert, 
to be the Speaker pro tem and preside over the House, and you'll see a 
theme of Members from both sides who have had the privilege of doing 
that and have had the benefit of the counsel of Mr. Sullivan.
  One of our best presiding officers, the gentlelady from Illinois 
(Mrs. Biggert), I am pleased to yield to her.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it's not every day we get to speak on the House floor 
about friends and colleagues that are not constituents or other Members 
of Congress, and tonight we have the distinct privilege to recognize a 
friend and fixture of Congress behind the scenes, Mr. John Sullivan.
  Most of you will probably remember that John was appointed 
Parliamentarian by our former colleague, Speaker Dennis Hastert, in 
2004 and did serve for 25 years. Those that have worked with him will 
tell you he's an excellent Parliamentarian, an institutionalist, and a 
man of integrity that truly cares about the House of Representatives. 
He would never bend the rules to pursue a certain outcome. And how you 
play the game is more important to him than whether you win or lose.
  I just wanted to tell a couple of things.
  When I first came to Congress, at that time, freshmen always had a 
week to chair the floor at night. And so I guess because I had a ``B'' 
for a last name, Biggert, that I got to do it first. Now, the only 
problem with that was that it was the training was the next week. So I 
went to the floor and I stood up there and I had this microphone 
sitting there, and I looked out and I said, What am I doing here? And I 
think I was kind of frozen, and John said, This is what you do. And so 
I proceeded on.
  Another time, I was in the chair and suddenly there was a lapse of 
decorum by two of our Members, one on each side of the aisle. I won't 
name the names. But suddenly they started moving towards each other, 
and I said, What do I do? And he said, Bang the gavel hard and multiple 
times. So suddenly they stopped in their tracks and they did retreat 
back to the desk to continue after we got things under control.
  So I really appreciate that we have had this opportunity. It is 
really an honor to stand and chair this floor, and I think that the 
Parliamentarian, John Sullivan, made it easy.
  I have a few other things that you may not know about John: that he 
went to the Air Force Academy, and as a graduate of Indiana 
University's law school, he is a huge Hoosier fan. And I can only 
imagine how proud he was of the Indiana Elite Eight basketball 
performance against Kentucky last Friday. The only thing wrong was that 
Kentucky beat Indiana by 1 point, 73-72, so that kind of ended Indiana 
in the March Madness.
  Another part of the behind-the-scenes function of the House that 
John's strategic wisdom and advice was critical to the continuity of 
the House function was in the days and weeks following the tragic 
events of September 11, 2001, and he performed there admirably.
  John has led the Parliamentarian's Office in a collegial and a very 
professional manner to the benefit of the Office, the Members and the 
House. We are fortunate for his service and wish him well in 
retirement. We will miss him.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield to, through my good 
friend from Ohio, to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Mel 
Watt.
  Mr. WATT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Of course 
I'm not from Virginia, I'm from North Carolina, but that happens to me 
and Bobby Scott all the time. We get confused with each other, States 
and personalities, because we sit beside each other in Judiciary and 
we're good friends. So I'm never insulted when anybody does that to me.
  I dare say that if folks are watching this proceeding on C-SPAN or at 
home they're wondering, Who in the world is John Sullivan? And I think 
that's probably the highest commendation that we can give to John 
Sullivan as a Parliamentarian, because if he had been involved in any 
kind of controversy or one side or the other in this institution had 
accused him of misinterpreting rules, then people would know that 
there's a Parliamentarian that's basically the referee in this 
institution that both sides have to respect in order for the 
institution to work effectively.

                              {time}  1910

  There has been no controversy--I mean, that the people outside know 
about. We know inside our institution that the Parliamentarians are 
dealing with controversial rulings, close rulings, trying to figure out 
what the precedents are for what we can do and cannot do, what has been 
done this way in the past and, therefore, represents a precedent for us 
to be able to do it in the future. But outside, nobody has ever heard 
of John Sullivan because there has been no controversy, and that's a 
great thing to have said about him.
  He has been absolutely even-handed. You've heard the word 
``nonpartisan'' because this is a position that you cannot be or take 
the Republican side or the Democratic side. You've got to call

[[Page 4179]]

the rules as you see them. There's nothing worse than at the end of 
March Madness, at the end of the game, one team saying that the 
referees influenced the outcome of the game. So that's a high mark for 
John Sullivan.
  When he replaced the prior Parliamentarian, Mr. Johnson, I thought 
surely we would go into some level of chaos; but the only difference 
I've ever been able to distinguish between him and Mr. Johnson is that 
he can't throw a baseball like our prior Parliamentarian did. If he 
can, he hadn't told me about it.
  I just wanted to take this moment to express our gratitude. He's been 
a tremendous mentor--well, you can't call him a mentor--teacher of 
those of us who have been in this institution, who have tried to abide 
by the rules and go to the edge and not violate the rule, but knowing 
full well that we'll get absolutely nonpartisan advice and counsel from 
the Parliamentarian about how to do things when we don't know how to 
bring them to the floor, and about how to maintain the decorum and 
respect of every single Member in this House.
  I thank him for his friendship and the role that he has played in 
making our institution a much, much better place to live and work.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for those 
remarks.
  I'm glad that Mrs. Biggert talked about her experiences in the chair 
because I think all of us have memories of that, going back a number of 
years, or a few years.
  Just before I yield to my next colleague, I just want to say, in the 
very first speech I gave on the floor, I had brought in the American 
humorist, Dave Barry, to be my guest press secretary. Some folks in my 
party said I should have my head examined, and I'm sorry to report that 
isn't the first or the last time that that's happened to me over the 
last 18 years. But he wrote my speech, and it was all about the warning 
labels that need to be on stepladders. Mr. Johnson was the 
Parliamentarian, but John was his deputy at the time. And Dave Barry 
wrote in my speech: ``Now, I'm not saying that all lawyers are scum-
sucking toads.'' And we had to go to the Parliamentarian's Office to 
get it checked out to see if I could call lawyers ``scum-sucking 
toads.'' I'm pleased to report to the House 18 years later that that's 
not a violation of the rules, so I intend to use it in future speeches.
  It is now my pleasure to yield to someone who, during his championing 
of eliminating pork and earmarks, wore a path out between where he was 
seated and the Parliamentarian's desk, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Flake).
  Mr. FLAKE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it's a bittersweet honor to take the podium during this 
altogether appropriate recognition of House Parliamentarian John 
Sullivan upon his retirement. I recognize it as bittersweet because 
it's truly sad for me--and all of us--to see him go, but I'm sure he 
will enjoy the break from all of us.
  I'm certain that tonight we'll hear--and we have already heard--his 
praises sung, particularly for his esteemed career that spanned some 
two-and-a-half decades. We saw him rise from counsel to assistant, to 
deputy, to finally the full-fledged Parliamentarian of this special 
institution.
  I venture to say that few Members or offices outside the Office of 
the Rules Committee are able to sing his praises having had quite as 
much experience as my office has had with him. According to a cursory 
review, it would appear that during Mr. Sullivan's tenure heading up 
the left side of the Speaker's dais, I've brought to the floor 
somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple hundred amendments and 
privileged resolutions and have filed countless more with the Rules 
Committee. So it is with some experience that I say that both I and my 
staff have found the Office of the Parliamentarian, under Mr. 
Sullivan's leadership, to be fair and open, responsive, deliberative, 
and consistent. In fact, we've come to rely on it.
  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that what I most admire about 
John is his irrepressible respect for the House of Representatives as 
an institution. Partisan politics, heated rhetoric, games of gotcha, 
finger-pointing and -wagging are as common around here as, well, as 
common as Flake amendments.
  Whether vetting germaneness issues with a provision or two, or being 
given a few pointers about surviving on a desert island somewhere, I 
have darkened the door of John's office more than a few times. I can 
tell you this: when you spend time with John Sullivan, it's easy for 
your thoughts to turn to the genius of the Founding Fathers, the 
intention of the Framers of the Constitution, and the beacon of freedom 
and democracy that the Congress represents. The veneration of this 
institution just rubs off when you spend any time with John Sullivan.
  As James Madison noted in the Federalist Papers: ``Stability in 
government is essential to national character.'' I can think of no 
higher compliment to pay John than to say his stable influence in this 
Chamber has been a credit to our national character.
  As a Member of Congress, I thank him both for his service and for 
ensuring that the House will be more than ably served by those who 
assume the same responsibility. As a friend, I wish him the best in his 
next adventure. May it involve a deserted island somewhere in the South 
Pacific.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield, through my good friend from Ohio, 
to the distinguished gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. PASTOR of Arizona. I thank the gentleman from Michigan and the 
gentleman from Ohio.
  In the 110th Congress, as well as the 111th Congress, I had the 
opportunity to preside frequently. I was given that honor by Speaker 
Pelosi, and several of those years I clocked over 100 hours in the 
chair. So I had an opportunity to be with John and see John's work as 
the Parliamentarian, and I associate myself with all the remarks given 
by the previous speakers.
  John is very knowledgeable and well read about the rules of the 
House. As my colleague, Jeff Flake, said, John was fair and John was 
respected--and is respected--by the leadership of the House on both 
sides, as well as his staff.
  I have to tell you that his staff was always well prepared. They 
anticipated, especially in debates that we had controversial bills, 
they anticipated probably some of the areas that would hit some rocky 
roads, and they were always prepared.

                              {time}  1920

  His staff was prepared, and they were always kind and caring to the 
person who was up in the chair, and many times they assisted me to make 
sure that I read the paper right or gave the right response. So I have 
to tell you that, John, as Parliamentarian, did bring stability and 
respect; and I thank him for that.
  During some of the debate that was pretty boring or during votes, we 
had a chance to talk to each other about more social things. We talked 
about vacations he took, when his daughter Margaret was in town, 
restaurants, movies that we had seen. So during those times, I had the 
opportunity to know John as a person, and I found him in those 
conversations to be a caring husband to his wife, Nancy, because he 
talked about some of the trips they went on and some of the things they 
did over the weekends, and obviously he was a caring father to his 
three children.
  So, for me, it was a great joy to be presiding over the debate here 
at the House and to know that the people who were going to be assisting 
me as Parliamentarians were well prepared and were fair and that they 
respected the House. More than that, I knew that I was dealing with a 
person, John V. Sullivan, who truly loves this House and who wanted to 
make sure that this House was able to function well and that there 
would be order.
  Jeff Flake is correct: when Jeff sometimes would get up, John would 
say, Oh, no, here comes another Flake amendment. But we got through 
them. In each case, we did the best we could,

[[Page 4180]]

and I know that his professionalism will always stand out.
  I congratulate Tom for succeeding him. Yet, to my friend John 
Sullivan, I wish you the best. May you have a great retirement and 
continue to care for this House as you care for your family. Best 
wishes.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I am a little bit surprised that the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor), who was a great presiding officer 
during what we called on our side of the aisle the ``troubled years,'' 
those of the Pelosi speakership, thinks that our debates are boring and 
that they're not riveting, seat-of-the-pants, edge-of-the-seat type 
things.
  Another wonderful presiding officer on our side, whose stern 
countenance keeps the House in order, is the distinguished gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Bonner), and I would yield to him.
  Mr. BONNER. I thank the gentleman, and I join in the comments that 
have already been made in expressing our deep gratitude to a young man 
who, by many standards, is still a young man and who obviously has a 
very bright future in front of him, but who has decided to embark on a 
new chapter in his already storied career.
  Tonight, Democrat and Republican, North and South, the dean of 
Congress--someone who has been here longer than many of us have been 
alive--and others who are coming tonight who are expressing their 
gratitude to a man named John Sullivan are all here to really offer our 
heartfelt thanks for the example you have set, for the inspiration you 
have provided, and for the legacy that you are leaving behind.
  Many a young lawyer in this country--and John is an attorney as has 
already been noted--when asked who inspired them to go into law, into 
that profession, cited a fictional character, someone of whom I am 
proud. The author of ``To Kill a Mocking Bird'' is from my home in 
Monroeville, Alabama, and the story is of Atticus Finch and of the 
example that he set in a very difficult time in our Nation's history. 
One of my favorite lines out of ``To Kill a Mocking Bird'' that Atticus 
said is: The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a 
person's conscience.
  I believe that we can all agree that, while we have rules in this 
House and that no one more than the Parliamentarian helps us abide by 
those rules and to follow the spirit of them, John Sullivan has set the 
example of being an outstanding Parliamentarian by using the rule but 
also by using his heart and his conscience.
  His rulings have sometimes been questioned, but never disputed in a 
real sense because his rulings and the rulings of the men and women who 
work with him have been seen as the gold standard by those of us who 
have been given the privilege of serving as Members of Congress. It 
truly is the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. If a ruling were 
appealed to the chair and if the chair turned to the Parliamentarian, 
as is often the case, we knew that the answer was as good as gold. He 
is truly the unbiased umpire who calls the balls ``balls,'' the strikes 
``strikes,'' and who oftentimes has to tell us what we don't want to 
hear but what we need to know.
  I am so honored to stand here tonight, along with my colleagues, to 
say thank you to someone who represents an army of professionals, of 
men and women over the years and throughout the decades whose names 
have never been on the ballot but who have made a lasting mark of love 
and support for this Institution. Some, like myself, have served on 
personal staffs. Others have served on committees, on committee staffs, 
and still a few others have had the privilege of wearing the title of 
Sergeant at Arms or Chaplain or, in this case, Parliamentarian.
  He is a man whom we truly respect, someone who has truly made this 
place a better place. As Mr. Watt said earlier tonight, if the people 
back home who are watching this discussion tonight are hearing this 
debate, there is no debate. John Sullivan may not be a household name 
in some parts of America, but John Sullivan has made the House of 
Representatives a better place by his service and by his example.
  Mr. LaTourette, I appreciate you and Mr. Dingell for hosting this 
Special Order for 1 hour in order for all of us to have a chance to say 
thank you for a job well done.
  May God continue to bless you, your wife, and your family.
  Mr. DINGELL. With thanks to my good friend for his kind comments, I 
yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland through the 
distinguished gentleman from Ohio.
  Ms. EDWARDS. Thank you.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to our Parliamentarian, our friend 
John Sullivan, for his service to this Nation and to the United States 
House ofRepresentatives. His departure as Parliamentarian of the House 
comes as a sad note to many of us who have come to know John and who 
have come to depend on his wise counsel and expertise, as I have since 
I first entered this Chamber in 2008 and as many others have through 
the years. I am happy that John is leaving on his own terms, and I wish 
him every happiness as he moves on to the next phase of his life.
  As has been said, John was born in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated 
from the Air Force Academy, received a law degree from the Indiana 
School of Law, and served honorably in the United States Air Force.
  John has dedicated his life to the noble calling of public service. 
Whether as an officer in the Air Force, as counsel of the House Armed 
Services Committee, or as a member of the Parliamentarian's Office for 
the past quarter century, he has ably served this House for 27 years. 
Some of my colleagues say 28 years. Others say 25 years. It has been a 
long time. He served the people of this country, the Nation, for nearly 
40 years.
  The job of the House Parliamentarian is an exceedingly difficult one. 
We Members would, no doubt, be a rather unruly lot without our Parl. 
One must have a scholarly grasp of our Constitution and of the rules 
and legislative procedures governing this Institution, the integrity to 
be an honest and fair arbiter at all times, and possess the ability to 
work with both sides of the aisle at sometimes contentious moments. 
Throughout my time in the House, I've seen John Sullivan exhibit these 
qualities time and time again.

                              {time}  1930

  It's a testament as to why he is so well respected by both 
Republicans and Democrats, which speaks volumes as to how successfully 
he's handled this job.
  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know John, learning from him the 
importance of the rules and precedent in this institution that he so 
clearly loves and respects and how to serve fairly and effectively as 
Speaker pro tempore. Indeed, I tried mightily to imitate his calm and 
tempered demeanor. I spent quite a bit of time in the 111th Congress 
doing just that, and it helped me during one of my most proud moments 
as I presided under John's wisdom and guidance during passage of the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
  I remember well John's skilled mastery of our House rules when I 
presided during a blizzard, and our Parliamentarian called to our 
attention a never-before-used rule to enable us to remain in session 
without disrupting a lot of winter holiday plans.
  I also learned that John likes to use sports analogies to describe 
his work almost as much as I do. He stressed to me and to other Members 
the importance that when serving as Speaker pro tempore, we become 
umpires and have to make rulings irrespective of partisan 
considerations.
  As important as it is to celebrate and honor John's professionalism, 
we honor him also as a person. Since John is an avid basketball fan, I 
wonder if it's a mere coincidence or if there is some deeper meaning in 
his resignation taking effect this Saturday, March 31, the date of the 
Final Four of the 2012 NCAA men's college basketball tournament.
  Though I'm not certain for whom John is cheering in this year's 
tournament, I do know that he has closely followed former Indiana and 
Texas Tech Coach Bobby Knight's career since Coach Knight was at West 
Point decades ago. They have met on numerous occasions, and John has a 
couple of

[[Page 4181]]

basketballs signed by Coach Knight. So I wish him an uninterrupted time 
through the finals. And here, John, through the Speaker, I would just 
say that it's okay to choose sides.
  As we say good-bye to John, I would also like to take this 
opportunity to welcome his respected successor Tom Wickham, the Deputy 
Parliamentarian, whom John has mentored. And I know Tom and the rest of 
their team will continue to guard the principles and rules that keep 
our democracy, our Republic, and this Chamber functioning with the 
level of dedication and integrity we witnessed from his predecessor.
  My first 4 years in Congress, the House of Representatives, and our 
country are better off thanks to John Sullivan's public service. I wish 
you, John, your wife, Nancy Sands Sullivan, and your children, Michael, 
Margaret, and Matthew, continued success.
  John Sullivan has made me a better Member, more willing to heed the 
gavel, more respectful of the Chair, more able to value this 
institution, as he does, and more confident as a Member of Congress.
  I wish you much happiness. I know that your family has been a 
tremendous support to you and your service in this House and to our 
Nation. And to John Sullivan, you leave behind a legacy of service that 
others can and should aspire to, and I thank you.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I want to thank the gentlelady from Maryland for her 
remarks.
  It is now my pleasure to yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Conaway), another frequent presiding officer and accountant by training 
and trade prior to his service in the House of Representatives.
  Mr. CONAWAY. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I will certainly 
not attempt the eloquence of all the previous speakers. I just simply 
want to say thanks to John Sullivan. He is the only Parliamentarian 
that I've served under. His service as Parliamentarian began just 
before I got here in January of '05. So it's been my privilege to serve 
with John.
  He has been even-handed throughout, from my perspective, serving both 
4 years in the minority and now back in the majority. You can't tell 
from John's conduct which side you belong to because he really does 
call them even-handedly.
  When you love the institution the way I do and the way other Members 
do, it's easy to recognize that love of institution. There is no one 
that I know of whose love for this institution is evidenced greater 
than what is demonstrated by John Sullivan. The precedents of the 
House, all of the things that are a part of this institution that make 
it one of the most valuable legacies of our Founding Fathers, John has 
upheld those traditions and those precedents in a very admirable way.
  So, John, thank you for the many chapters of your life that you have 
spent in service to the House of Representatives. Thank you for that. 
And Godspeed in the many chapters of your life to follow this one. This 
institution is better for your long service. I'm a better Member of 
Congress for your service. Thank you, John.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, again, through the kindness of my good 
friend from Ohio, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from 
Massachusetts.
  Mr. LYNCH. I thank the gentleman from Michigan and the gentleman from 
Ohio for the opportunity to praise our departing House Parliamentarian, 
John Sullivan, as he prepares to leave the House of Representatives 
after 27 years of distinguished service.
  I represent the Ninth District of Massachusetts, where, in my new 
district, I have 727,514 people, most of them named Sullivan. So this 
seems like an Irish wake here, but it is certainly not.
  As we all know, John has served in the Office of the House 
Parliamentarian for most of his distinguished career, and the last 8 
years as House Parliamentarian. Serving as Parliamentarian in this body 
takes a fair amount of skill and an enormous amount of patience. It is, 
at times, challenging, and it is that skill and ability and patience 
that John provides us as Members that we rely on to also allow the 
House to function in an orderly manner. I think all the Members here 
today know that the advice we receive and guidance we receive from John 
Sullivan, as our Parliamentarian, is given in ananalytical, unbiased, 
and nonpartisan manner.
  Following in the footsteps of his mentor, former House 
Parliamentarian Charlie Johnson, John has served as the Parliamentarian 
in both Democratic and Republican Houses. And I think it is a tribute 
to John's integrity and trustworthiness that he was appointed by three 
Speakers of the House: Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican; Speaker 
Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat; and now Speaker John Boehner, again a 
Republican.
  In a time period when we can just about agree on nothing between us, 
we agree on the great service of John Sullivan. And he has received the 
support and admiration from both sides of the aisle, and that is on 
display in the House tonight, as both Republican and Democratic Members 
pay tribute to a true man of the House. And while, as Members, we are 
allowed to publicly pay tribute to John, I know that John's fellow 
coworkers and former coworkers also wish him the best as he prepares 
for his next challenge.
  John has not let us know what his future professional plans will be, 
but we, as a body, know it will not be golf. We have seen John golf, 
and John Sullivan and the sport of golf are nongermane. But we all do 
know that he is enormously dedicated and devoted to his wife, Nancy, 
and their three kids, Michael, Margaret, and Matthew. And we wish him 
the best as he leaves his professional family and begins to enjoy his 
true family.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to personally thank John for his 
friendship and guidance to me during my time in Congress.
  John, you know that on many occasions, the passions of this House 
have threatened to overtake proper decorum. I think it's been your 
integrity and your ability to reason and your reputation for 
nonpartisanship that has pulled us back from the brink on many 
occasions. You have certainly raised the bar in terms of dedicated 
service to this institution.
  I thank you, and I wish you and your family Godspeed and good luck. 
God bless you. And thank you for your service to this House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for his 
observations. And I would simply say that if you and Mr. Dingell and 
Mr. Visclosky were in charge, we would get a lot more done around here.
  With that, every sport needs to have an anchorman. If you want a tug-
of-war, you've got to have an anchorman. If you are in baseball, you 
need to have a closer. And when trouble is a-brewing on the House 
floor, our side turns to our next speaker, the distinguished gentleman 
from Utah (Mr. Bishop), and I would like to yield to him.

                              {time}  1940

  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. I think I thank the gentleman from Ohio for that 
introduction.
  Since 1857, if I count correctly, John Sullivan is the 19th 
Parliamentarian we have had in the House of Representatives, even 
though the term actually wasn't used officially until 1927. But of 
those Parliamentarians in the 20th century, Lewis Deschler served for 
46 years as Parliamentarian, and I believe his replacement, William 
Brown, served for 20 years.
  So John, in all sincerity, serving only 8 years as the 
Parliamentarian here makes you a Parliamentarian slacker. I think a 
couple more years would be appropriate if you'd like to reconsider and 
stay with us.
  But through those almost 8 years as the Parliamentarian, 20-plus 
years working in that office, your ability to help the majority meet 
its goals while at the same time respecting the minority is not an easy 
task. But John Sullivan did do it with aplomb.
  Former Senator Eugene McCarthy once said, The Senate has rules, but 
none of them over there care about it. In the House, the House rules 
are too complex. Don't learn them; just ask the Parliamentarian. I 
think for all of us, we do that.
  I do know from my time in the chair, Parliamentarians do not like ad

[[Page 4182]]

libbing. There is one time I simply turned to John and said, Why don't 
we just mike you, and I will move my lips. I still think that would be 
far more appropriate, but I don't think anyone in his office found that 
funny.
  George Will once wrote that the only thing he remembers about his 
wedding day was the Cubs lost a doubleheader. I say that because John's 
grandfather pitched for the 1919 Chicago Black Sox, and John is still a 
fan of the White Sox and closely associated with that franchise. His 
replacement, Tom Wickham, who will come in, is a fan of the Cardinals. 
For a Cubs devotee like myself, there is just no hope in this world.
  But I do want to know, even though both of you are on the wrong side 
of the baseball sphere, I want you to know that I thank you so very 
much, Mr. Sullivan, for your personal friendship. I also thank you for 
your two-plus decades of loyal service to this House. I also thank you 
for your lifetime of service and dedication to this country. We wish 
you well. We are a better place for having worked with you here.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield through my good friend 
from Ohio to my friend from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Dingell, I appreciate your yielding. I want to 
thank both you and my good friend from Ohio for reserving this time, 
and the Chair's indulgence.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with fond admiration and profound respect that I 
take this time to recognize a very dear friend and one of Indiana's 
most distinguished citizens, the Honorable John Vincent Sullivan, whom 
I will always claim as a resident of the First Congressional District, 
having graduated from Munster High School in Munster, Indiana.
  It has been mentioned that he has served this country in the United 
States Air Force for 20 years--9 years active service, 11 years in the 
Reserve, and retiring with the designation of lieutenant colonel.
  What has not been mentioned, I don't think, this evening is that for 
some inexplicable reason John also wanted to jump out of airplanes, and 
became a qualified paratrooper. Ultimately, he found himself at Indiana 
University Law School, as has been mentioned by Mrs. Biggert, but which 
was qualified by the gentlewoman from Maryland, who indicated that in 
fact I don't think that John is so much an IU fan as he is a rabid 
Bobby Knight fan.
  But I do think that the mark of the man is the recognition of his 
legal acumen, his grace under pressure, and his scrupulous fairness 
when a Democratic Speaker, Tip O'Neill, requested that he join the 
Parliamentarian's office in 1987. And that 17 years later, his 
leadership skills and his ability to make nimble and wise decisions in 
very stressful and momentous situations was recognized by Republican 
Speaker Dennis Hastert, who asked that he become Parliamentarian of the 
House.
  Mr. Speaker, John comes from a strong family of nine children, and 
his siblings love him deeply and know him better than any of us. I am 
happy to share some of their thoughts with my colleagues.
  Margaret mentions:

       As a teacher, I know about the incredible power of a good 
     model. John has provided the best model of a good brother, 
     husband, public servant, son, and man throughout my life, and 
     I adore him.

  His sister Anne said:

       As a little sister, I chose John as my role model for 
     integrity. Later, I chose him as my role model for word 
     choice, too.

  Patty remarks that:

       My heart is so full, I do not know where to start. You know 
     how I feel about my magnificent big brother.

  Gary, for himself and for Mary Fran, John's sister whom he has lost, 
said:

       I speak for Mary Fran and myself in sending love and thanks 
     to John for his service to our country.

  His brother Matt said:

       I would like to add my voice to my siblings' in expressing 
     my love and appreciation of our brother John.

  Michael noted:

       John and I played together, ate together, fought together, 
     got in trouble together, slept together, walked to school 
     together, and talked to each other about everything. That is 
     really where I learned all the important things about life. 
     That is where I learned what it took to be a good man. John 
     was my big brother, but he has always been my confidant and 
     mentor. He is my number one phone call when I need advice. He 
     has the discipline and fairness that I lack. So it is good to 
     have him to lean on. I love you, John, and I look forward to 
     enjoying a piece of your retirement with you.

  Jerry observed that:

       John went to take his physical qualification test for the 
     Air Force Academy and came back and told Dad he didn't seem 
     to do as well as he had expected. He did plenty well enough, 
     passed, and graduated the Academy. Turned out there was a 
     reason for his feeling a bit less than full strength during 
     the test. He had a case of mononucleosis that had not yet 
     been diagnosed. He plowed through the tough test in typical 
     fashion for John. Only he, as his own toughest critic, got 
     any sense that something was not quite right. The rest of the 
     world did nothing but approve of his skill, dedication, and 
     durability, which have always added up to make him the best 
     sort of guy.

  His brother Jim noted--and I would like to state for the record that 
John looks a lot older than Jim:

       I am 4 years older than John but have looked up to him 
     since I can remember. He is simply the finest man I know. He 
     is as tough as they come, and he is as gentle as a lamb with 
     the innocent and those less strong than he. He is fearless, 
     and I have seen him risk much to speak for the right, 
     regardless of the risk to himself. I have seen him operate, 
     in the right, with all the advantages, and yet let the 
     vanquished foe up and off the hook, time and again. He 
     embodies the idea of following the harder right rather than 
     the easier wrong, and of being humble and gentle in victory, 
     stern and unyielding in defeat. His goodness and strength are 
     clear from the moment you meet him.

  Mr. Speaker, I would add that I will miss the opportunity that John 
provided every time I had young people in the gallery since 1987 for 
the opportunity to point him out with pride as being from ``back 
home,'' and emphasizing that he was someone they could emulate; that by 
studying hard, by using the talents God had given them, they, too, 
could achieve a position of great responsibility and great opportunity 
to be of service to others and to their country.
  We will all miss you, John--a man who has dedicated and devoted his 
life to serving his country. This institution and each of us have 
become more effective and judicious stewards of the public trust 
because of John Sullivan's example, his wisdom, and yes, his good 
humor.
  So I would conclude by saying, Mr. Speaker, that despite all of the 
disparaging remarks John has made over these many years about the 
quality of the football team in South Bend, Indiana, called Notre Dame, 
I do sincerely wish him, his wife Nancy, and their family every 
blessing and happiness life has to offer.

                              {time}  1950

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I thank the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. DINGELL. We have no further requests for time, but I would like 
to say a couple of words.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. As do I. The gentleman is the dean of the House. You 
go first.
  Mr. DINGELL. This, I will tell the gentleman, is his time. He has led 
in the matter. I am prepared to accede to his leadership.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. I think we need to hear from you, Mr. Dingell.
  Mr. DINGELL. I begin then by thanking my good friend from Ohio for 
his leadership in this matter and express to him my great personal 
respect and high esteem. I am particularly pleased that we have been 
able to have these brief remarks from his friends, colleagues, and 
coworkers about our good friend, Mr. Sullivan, our coworker and 
Parliamentarian of the House. I have known all the Parliamentarians 
during their sitting back to Mr. Deschler, Mr. Brown, Mr. Charlie 
Johnson and now, of course, our good friend, Mr. Sullivan. And before 
them, I had the privilege of knowing the distinguished gentleman from 
Missouri, a Member of this body and also a prior Parliamentarian of 
this body.
  I'm sure that this has been an evening that has been somewhat painful 
to our friend, the Parliamentarian, because he has heard all kinds of 
nice things about him at a time when that is rather an unaccustomed 
practice.

[[Page 4183]]

But I would like to tell him how proud we are that we have had such 
dedicated public servants to work for and on behalf of the House of 
Representatives and on behalf of all of us.
  As he retires at the end of this week as the Parliamentarian of the 
House, I hope he knows that his work would be approved, and 
enthusiastically so, by all the gentlemen that I have mentioned 
earlier. I would also hope that he understands that he has seen the 
greatest respect and affection from his colleagues here in the House 
for his fairness, impartiality, for his decency, for his integrity, and 
for the fair and nonpartisan--he would note I did not say 
``bipartisan,'' I said ``nonpartisan''--way he has conducted his 
responsibilities as the Parliamentarian of the House.
  Each and every one of us could count on Mr. Sullivan to take our 
calls on even the smallest questions about motions and procedures. And 
all of us, without any question or any doubt, knew that the advice we 
were getting was completely honest. We also knew that he would help us 
work out our problems so that we could be functioning and effective 
Members of this body. And we also knew that he would take a firm stand 
for the protection of the traditions and the institutional values of 
this body and would ensure that the rules were always interpreted 
properly.
  He was a true institutionalist. He loved and revered the House of 
Representatives, and he knew something that was very important that 
many of us had not yet learned, and that is that this body, as an 
institution, is more important to all of us and to this Nation than is 
any single issue or aggregation or congregation of issues or any 
individual or any group of individuals, because without the trust, the 
affection, and the respect of the American people, this institution 
cannot function, cannot lead, cannot govern, and cannot carry out the 
trusts that we have been given back to the days of the Founders of the 
country.
  I want Mr. Sullivan to know that he will always be missed; but we 
know that he has left us in capable hands because he has built a fine 
office, and Tom Wickham, like Mr. Sullivan, has already proven to be 
dependable, discreet and well versed in the rules and procedures of the 
House; and we know that he will serve the House with the same 
dedication, decency, integrity and honesty that his predecessor, Mr. 
Sullivan, has characterized his work with.
  All of us are going to miss him. He has been a distinguished public 
servant in the highest sense of the term; and all of us will wish him 
well as he goes off to do his business, whatever it may be, and we will 
hope that he has tremendous success, long life, great happiness, and a 
chance to come back here from time to time to see his old friends and 
to join in talking about the memories that we share together, the great 
things that we've done, the small things that we've done, and all the 
wonderful stories that we have to tell and share about the privilege of 
serving in this, the greatest legislative body in the world.
  I am going to express to him the wish that he will have happiness in 
his retirement. I know that that wish is shared and honored by all of 
his colleagues and all of our colleagues, and I know that the very fine 
group of Parliamentarians who are here to show their appreciation to 
him for his wonderful leadership share in the thoughts that you have 
heard.
  This has been an extraordinary bipartisan expression of the affection 
and respect that we have for our Parliamentarian, which he has earned. 
We have not praised him; we have simply told the truth about him. And 
that is something that he can be proud of that we are able to do and 
willing to do. I would note that there are some who might live in 
mortal and desperate fear of having others telling the truth about 
them.
  So, in any event, we express to him our thanks and our admiration, 
and also that of the entire membership of the House of Representatives 
who have been honored by your service, your guidance, your friendship, 
your dignity, and your great appreciation of this body and the 
responsibilities we have.
  Now I thank my good friend from Ohio for being so generous and for 
his leadership in this matter.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for your indulgence, 
and I also want to thank the dean of the House for organizing this 
Special Order.
  The House of Representatives is a building. It's a nice place, but 
it's really the people. And John Dingell is the House of 
Representatives, as his father was before him. Pete Visclosky is the 
House of Representatives. When I got here, Charlie Johnson was the 
Parliamentarian, he was the House of Representatives, and John Sullivan 
has replaced him; and he is, in fact, an institution with the House. I 
don't want to break the mood here, but in my opinion, the jury is still 
out on Wickham. We'll see how he does, but I think things have the 
opportunity to be okay.
  I just want to tell two quick stories that for me told the measure of 
the man. The first was a number of years ago when we had a Member who 
was going to be expelled from the House of Representatives. It was only 
the third time in modern history that that occurred. The last one was 
in the 1970s. Nobody had really had a chance to study the precedents 
and things of that nature, and I was kind of surprised that that 
process only took an hour of floor time--an hour to basically end 
somebody's political life.
  So I went to John, and he gave me advice, and then he told me to file 
something to postpone it to a date certain, which I had never heard of, 
and I bet most Members never heard of, but that gave Members of the 
House an additional hour to discuss the case. And I think at the end of 
that, because of John's stewardship and knowledge of the rules, the 
House, as a body, felt better at the conclusion of that 2-hour debate.
  It happened to be a Member of Ohio; and we are celebrating in Ohio 
that Ohio State is in the Final Four; our guy, John Boehner, is the 
Speaker of the House; and it also marks the first time in 8 years we 
haven't had a member of our delegation in prison. So we're pretty 
pleased about that as well. But I will tell you that it was John's 
counsel that got us through that.
  The second one was more recently. A couple of years ago, August, on 
our side, we call it the day of the stolen vote. I think the 
distinguished minority whip, Mr. Hoyer, called it a procedural hiccup. 
But regardless, if you were here that night, it was wild. People were 
screaming, yelling, and crying.
  And I had the opportunity to watch the videotape about 300 times 
because we then had a special committee to look into it. And always in 
all of the frames, there was one rock like the Rock of Gibraltar 
standing there above the fray saying, We need to be calm. It reminded 
me a little bit--I don't know if you saw Kevin Bacon in Animal House, 
where he says, stay calm, stay calm, and the crowd runs him over, and 
he's nothing but a uniform in the end. That's what was going on around 
John.
  The place could have devolved into a very serious problem. It looked 
messy, and it was messy, but the measure of John's stewardship of the 
rules of the House--I would say that there was pressure on him and the 
rest of the Parliamentarian staff to do what one side or the other 
wanted him to do or for his opinion to come out one way or the other. 
The Republicans, we wanted him to say, hey, they stole the vote. It was 
215-213, the gavel came down, you hoodwinked us. And from the 
Democratic side, the pressure was, these things happen, stuff happens; 
that no rules were broken, no harm, no foul.

                              {time}  2000

  John, as he has throughout his service, both as Deputy and now as 
Parliamentarian, didn't pick sides. He called the game right down the 
line. He told us what he thought based upon the rules, the precedents 
of the House. And I will tell you you knew it was a good decision, 
because neither of us liked it. The Republicans didn't like what he had 
to say and the Democrats didn't

[[Page 4184]]

like what he had to say. That to me is the mark of a fair ruling, 
because he called it as he saw it.
  There's one last thing that I want to say about his service. I got 
here in 1995, and 1995 was the first time the Republicans were in the 
majority for 40 years in the House of Representatives.
  I remember going to my first conference meeting and all these guys--
Charlie Johnson was the Parliamentarian at the time. Speakers would get 
up and say to Mr. Gingrich: We're not going to keep the Democrats' 
Parliamentarian, are we? I didn't know what the heck they were talking 
about. Of course, Mr. Johnson, in fact, stayed. I imagine there were 
some discussions about that in the Democratic Caucus when things 
changed in 2007, and I imagine I know there were discussions about that 
when it changed again in 2011.
  The fact of the matter is John is the embodiment of the 
Parliamentarian's Office. He's not the Democratic Parliamentarian. He's 
not the Republican Parliamentarian. He's the Parliamentarian for the 
House of Representatives, and that's what makes his service unique and 
unique to all of our Parliamentarians.
  In closing, I don't know what John is going to do; but, Mr. Speaker, 
if John writes a book and I have to pay $147 to get it on Amazon.com, 
I'm really going to be honked off.
  I hope, John, if you do write your memoirs or some tome with the 
Speaker of the House over in Great Britain that you let it come out in 
paperback so that all of us can enjoy it. And, please, make it a good 
read and not so dry.
  To John and your family, I really appreciate your friendship and your 
service. You have gotten me out of a lot of messes and not into too 
many. For your friendship and for your guidance in this House over your 
career, I'm very grateful. And I thank you and I wish you well in 
whatever you decide to do.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for your patience, and I would yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, there is no greater honor or privilege 
than to serve the American people. As Members of Congress, every day we 
work to remain worthy of the tremendous trust bestowed upon us by our 
constituents. While the spotlight is often focused on us, there are 
people who serve this great body and the American people without 
fanfare and recognition. In many ways, they are the backbone of this 
institution--without them, we could not do the People's work. One of 
the finest examples of this selfless commitment and tireless service 
can be found in our House Parliamentarian John V. Sullivan.
  Following his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy and 
the Indiana University School of Law, John served 10 years on active 
military duty. His service in the House began almost 28 years ago when 
he became Counsel for the Committee on Armed Services. In 1987, he 
began what would become a distinguished career in the Office of the 
Parliamentarian, serving as an Assistant Parliamentarian and Deputy 
Parliamentarian. In 2004, he was appointed to the position of 
Parliamentarian of the House.
  The Office of the Parliamentarian is commonly known as the 
nonpartisan umpire for the House. Continuing this tradition throughout 
his tenure, John has been a shining example of integrity and fairness. 
John has served under six successive Speakers, both Democratic and 
Republican. He has truly been an innovator in the House--being the 
first to incorporate computer technology into the Office of the 
Parliamentarian. His ability to offer procedural guidance on the 
workings of this Chamber has earned him the respect and admiration of 
Members across both sides of the aisle. During my tenure as Chair of 
the House Rules Committee, John and his Office were invaluable 
resources to the Rules Committee and me.
  John Sullivan has served the House with distinction during some of 
the most important debates of recent history. His unparalleled 
knowledge of parliamentary procedure helped guide us through the 
debates on the Affordable Care Act which ensured quality, affordable 
healthcare for millions of Americans, the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act which is helping to create new jobs and encourage 
investment in our economy, and the Emergency Stabilization Act which 
has been credited for preventing the collapse of our financial system.
  While I join the chorus of voices in offering my best wishes to John 
on his well deserved retirement from the House, I will certainly miss 
his warmth, his sense of humor and his humility in this Chamber. Those 
are attributes that are far too rare these days.
  Fortunately, John is leaving the Parliamentarian position in the able 
hands of Tom Wickham, who I am confident will do a wonderful job. 
However, I am sure even Tom will agree that he has some rather large 
shoes to fill. On behalf of a grateful chamber, I'd like to wish John 
the best of luck, as he starts the latest chapter of his distinguished 
life.
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary 
25 year career of retiring Parliamentarian of the House of 
Representatives, John V. Sullivan.
  A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and former Air 
Force Judge Advocate, John exemplifies public service. He began his 
career in the House of Representatives by serving as counsel to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and soon transitioned to the Office of the 
Parliamentarian. John took on the role of Parliamentarian in 2004, 
after seventeen years in the Office of the Parliamentarian.
  Serving as only the fourth Parliamentarian in modern history, John 
has consistently conducted himself in the most professional, non-
partisan manner. He has been a constant through multiple Congresses, 
and under Speakers of both parties. John's knowledge of House procedure 
and traditions is unparalleled, and he was a model of decorum and even 
temperament. His service will be missed.
  Mr. Speaker, I have enjoyed calling John a colleague throughout my 
time in the House, and ask my colleagues to join me in wishing him all 
the best in his retirement.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John 
Sullivan the House Parliamentarian, who is retiring after serving 28 
years. John has dedicated his career to public service. Prior to 
arriving on Capitol Hill, John served our nation for 10 years in the 
Air Force.
  I have known John for nearly two decades. In that time, I have often 
been impressed by his in-depth knowledge of House Floor procedure and 
the legislative process.
  John has a calm, knowledgeable, and warm demeanor. It is no small 
feat to be well-liked by Members of both parties. Debate on the House 
Floor can be contentious at times; however, it is a positive reflection 
on John's expertise that he been able to consistently offer his 
assistance to Members in a manner that balances the rights of Members 
from both sides of the aisle. John, I hope you enjoy your retirement.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker thanks to Mr. Dreier, Mr. 
LaTourette and Mr. Dingell for organizing this special order in 
recognition of John Sullivan, the House's Parliamentarian since 2004, 
and Deputy or Assistant Parliamentarian since 1987.
  For these 25 years, John has been a familiar face on the floor of the 
House of Representatives, helping presiding officers maintain order and 
the flow of business. He has done his work with reassuring steadiness 
and competence, impartiality and fairness, even when tempers were 
flaring and ingenious, sometimes disingenuous, arguments were flying 
all around him.
  John and the parliamentary staff he oversees have also been 
invaluable sources of advice and counsel for this institution's 
members, officers, and committees. Their institutional memory--both in 
their personal capacity and in the reference and retrieval system they 
have developed--is beyond compare. John perfected his own skills under 
illustrious predecessors--Charles Johnson and Bill Brown--and has 
administered and advanced the office superbly. This institution is 
currently facing serious strains and challenges. But in the area of 
parliamentary experience and control, we are operating from a position 
of great strength, thanks to the work of John and his colleagues.
  John Sullivan's work is enhanced by his historical and comparative 
parliamentary knowledge, and I want especially to commend him for his 
willingness to share that knowledge with our colleagues in parliaments 
with which we cooperate around the world. I particularly remember his 
participation with the House Democracy Partnership in a mission to two 
partner legislatures, Liberia and Kenya, in 2010. He engaged 
enthusiastically and helpfully with these parliaments as they developed 
their own parliamentary rules and standards under trying conditions. 
John has done this repeatedly, meeting countless times with visiting 
parliamentary and staff delegations and generously extending his 
counsel and encouragement.
  In short, John Sullivan has been an exemplary public servant and an 
invaluable resource for this institution and our sister institutions 
around the world. I am happy to join with colleagues in thanking him 
for his service and wishing him well in retirement.

[[Page 4185]]


  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a man I have come to know and 
respect during my service in the Congress, the House Parliamentarian 
John V. Sullivan, on the occasion of his retirement.
  John Sullivan has served the House for 25 years, starting at the 
House Armed Services Committee and then moving to the Office of the 
Parliamentarian. The last eight years he has held the position of House 
Parliamentarian.
  Prior to his work in the House, Sullivan served in the Air Force. I 
would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, if I did not also mention that Sullivan 
is a Hoosier. He grew up in Northwest Indiana, graduating from Munster 
High School and after attending the Air Force Academy, returning home 
to earn his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law.
  Indiana can take justifiable pride in John Sullivan and his service 
to the Congress and our nation.
  The job of the House Parliamentarian requires integrity, intellect, 
good judgment and the ability to think quickly on your feet. The House 
Chamber can be a pressure-cooker at times, especially during votes on 
major pieces of legislation or at times of heated partisan rancor.
  One of those times was the night of August 2, 2007, when a vote on 
the Republican motion to recommit the Agriculture Appropriations bill 
went awry. John Sullivan was on the House floor that night advising the 
Speaker pro tem, and he exhibited the type of courage and 
professionalism that the rest of us can only aspire to in such a 
difficult situation.
  After that night, a select committee was appointed to investigate 
what happened during the vote, and I was appointed ranking member for 
the investigation. I got to know Sullivan very well during the course 
of the investigation, and I appreciated his honesty, candor and full 
participation in the investigation. From our many conversations and 
what we learned as a committee, it was clear to me that Sullivan could 
not be more dedicated to the House as an institution or his job as a 
non-partisan provider of carefully considered analysis and advice. The 
House was fortunate to have his professional judgment on that night and 
all of the many other days and nights he has spent on the rostrum 
advising Speakers pro tem and Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, the House will miss John Sullivan. We wish him the best 
in his retirement and trust that he will enjoy spending more time with 
his wife, Nancy Sands Sullivan, and three children Michael, Margaret 
and Matthew. We thank them for sharing Sullivan with the House these 
many years, and again, Mr. Speaker, we thank John Sullivan for his 
service and wish him well in his retirement.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate House 
Parliamentarian John V. Sullivan on his retirement from the U.S. House 
of Representatives. John, who was appointed House Parliamentarian by 
former Speaker Dennis Hastert on May 31, 2004, will retire at the end 
of this month after serving 25 years in the parliamentarian's office. 
John became only the fourth parliamentarian to serve in the House since 
the office was established in 1928.
  John Sullivan is one of the most exceptional parliamentarians I have 
had the pleasure to serve with during my 35 years in Congress. John has 
always handled himself with the utmost professionalism and has always 
held himself to the highest standard. There is no sharper mind or 
greater expert on parliamentary procedure than John Sullivan. Members 
on both sides of the aisle have relied on his expertise and extensive 
knowledge of the legislative process. I echo the Speaker and Minority 
Leader's comments that his retirement is ``a loss for the people's 
House.''
  Over the years, I have seen a steady and disturbing decline in the 
civility and comity in the House of Representatives. There have been 
more heated exchanges and political bickering on the House floor in 
recent years than I care to remember. However, through it all, John has 
been able to navigate the House through some difficult times and has 
reminded all of us that we should respect our colleagues and the rules 
of this great institution. His steady leadership, intellect and 
nonpartisan decision making has made it possible for this body to 
continue to function despite the political rancor.
  Throughout my life, I've tried to emulate those for whom I have great 
respect. John Sullivan is one of those people that I will always admire 
and respect. Not only am I a better legislator, but I am also a better 
person for having known John Sullivan. I wish John the best in his 
retirement and thank him for his years of service to this great body 
and to our Nation.
  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to John Sullivan on 
his retirement from the post of Parliamentarian of the House.
  John has served the House for 28 years, beginning as Counsel for the 
House Committee on Armed Services. In 1987, he joined the office of 
Parliamentarian where he rose from an Assistant Parliamentarian to 
Deputy Parliamentarian in 1994. He was named Parliamentarian by Speaker 
Dennis Hastert in 2004. He has served this body with dignity and 
professionalism.
  I feel privileged to have worked with John, whom I consider a friend 
and a mentor. During the years when Democrats were in the majority, I 
enjoyed serving as Chair of the Committee of the Whole or as Speaker 
pro tem. When in the Chair I looked to John for wise guidance. He was a 
great teacher and I was eager to learn. He has a great command of and 
respect for the institutional history of the House, and its rules and 
precedents. John Sullivan was very supportive of Members who sought to 
learn more.
  John is a kind man with a great intellect. We are all grateful for 
his service to the House and to the nation. I will miss him and wish 
him all of the very best in his future endeavors.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize parliamentarian John V. Sullivan for his long and 
distinguished service to the House of Representatives. Tomorrow, after 
25 years of service to the House, John is retiring.
  John is one of only four Parliamentarians who have served the House 
of Representatives. In this rare company, John stands out. In many 
ways, the Parliamentarian is the keeper of order in a House increasing 
lacking in civility. That John is equally respected on both sides of 
the aisle is testament to his fair hand and steady demeanor.
  Before coming to Congress, John served in the United States Air Force 
as a Judge Advocate General (JAG). In this capacity, John had to 
represent, in a legal capacity, many odd and unruly individuals: an 
experience that prepared him well for his current position.
  I will miss John's steady presence as Parliamentarian. However, I 
know the House will be well served by the excellent staff John 
assembled during his tenure.
  John, thank you for your lifetime of public service, and good luck in 
your future endeavors.

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