[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15492-15497]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE HOWARD COBLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). Under the 
Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2013, the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee 
of the majority leader.


                             General Leave

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, we are here tonight to pay tribute to the dean 
of the North Carolina delegation and our beloved colleague of many 
years, Howard Coble.
  Howard Coble has been a dedicated public servant to the people of 
North Carolina and a champion for honest, effective government. For 
three decades, he has taken great care to represent the values and 
concerns of Sixth District residents.

                              {time}  1930

  It is a profound honor to call Howard a dear friend, and it saddens 
me to think about coming here in the next Congress without his wisdom 
or signature wit.
  Wearing his trademark plaid jackets, Howard has been a champion for 
his constituents, whether in Washington or back in North Carolina. He 
never backed down from a challenge to do what was right for North 
Carolina and always pushed Washington to work better for those he 
represented.
  Always ready with a cheerful greeting and a welcoming smile for 
whoever crossed his path, it is clear Howard cares about the little 
details that mean so much to average North Carolinians. Those who met 
him know of his characteristic penchant for inquiring about their alma 
mater and then rattling off the corresponding mascot.
  Perhaps the most fitting summary of Howard's personality is that he 
is the essence of what it means to be a southern gentleman: someone who 
simply exudes kindness, charm, and compassion. And let's not forget 
that he was named the sexiest bachelor in Congress by BuzzFeed earlier 
this year.
  Howard is also known for his deadpan humor, and loves a good joke, 
even if it is at his own expense. However, that wit can sometimes be a 
two-edged sword. In 2008, his sense of humor almost killed someone. At 
the North Carolina GOP Convention he cracked a joke to Robert 
Pittenger, who now represents North Carolina's Ninth Congressional 
District. Robert nearly expired after choking on his meal in mid-
chuckle. Reliable sources have hinted that the joke might have been a 
variation of Howard's ``feisty mountain woman'' one-liner that he 
routinely uses to describe me. Fortunately, former Presidential 
candidate Governor Mike Huckabee was there to rescue Robert from 
Howard's humor with a well-placed Heimlich maneuver.
  All kidding aside, Howard is a man of integrity and principle, a 
Representative who has stood for what is right and who has fought on 
behalf of what makes America a great Nation.
  Today, I salute Howard Coble, my friend, for his many years of 
service. We will miss him greatly.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I now yield to our colleague, Mr. Price.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
yielding and for scheduling this Special Order here on our first night 
back in town for the very important purpose of paying tribute to our 
dear friend and colleague, Howard Coble. I am very happy to join in 
this, as many other colleagues will be tonight as well.
  I have served with Howard since I first arrived here in 1987. He had 
beaten me by 2 years. He was first elected in 1984 to represent North 
Carolina's Sixth District.
  I think when you hear the tributes tonight from both sides of the 
aisle you are going to, quite accurately, conclude that Howard Coble is 
one of the best-liked Members of this body, and that affection extends 
across the entire political spectrum.

[[Page 15493]]

  Howard is always ready with a kind word for everyone, from fellow 
Representatives to Capitol Police and constituents. It is difficult to 
walk anywhere with Howard in Washington, D.C., or in North Carolina 
without being stopped several times because he has so many friends who 
just want to catch up with him.
  I have always especially enjoyed introducing my staff to Howard. His 
first question usually is: ``What high school did you go to?'' And then 
the second question is something like: ``What's it like working for 
this scallywag?''
  We've sometimes disagreed, of course, on politics and policy, but we 
have had many, many occasions for fruitful collaboration and 
cooperation on issues important to North Carolina. We have worked for 
years, for example, on promoting textile research. We have certainly 
worked on disaster relief after several major hurricanes. Over the 
years, I have come to appreciate Howard as a smart and able legislator, 
and, more than that, I have come to value him as a person and to value 
his friendship.
  My district staff would want me to add how much we all admire 
Howard's constituent service. When it comes to working with our 
constituents in dealing with Federal agencies, party lines don't 
matter. Often, the district lines are a little indistinct and we have 
to figure out whose district someone is in or get a case referred back 
and forth. Howard's staff is invariably cooperative and competent. It 
is not an accident that he has a superb reputation in North Carolina 
for the best constituent service around.
  Howard has been a dedicated Member in this body in Washington as 
well. He has been an effective legislator, especially distinguishing 
himself in his leadership positions on the Judiciary Committee. He has 
done all this with a certain grace and style. He reminds us of a time 
when our politics were less hard-edged.
  So as he retires at the close of the current Congress, we wish him 
all the best. He leaves this body with immense affection and respect. 
Our State and the House of Representatives have greatly benefited from 
the service of Howard Coble.
  Godspeed, my friend.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to our colleague, Mr. Jones.
  Mr. JONES. I thank Ms. Foxx for putting this together. Tonight is a 
sad night, but a very special night, I think, for those of us who have 
had the privilege to know Howard Coble as long as I have. We go back to 
1983, when I was a freshman Democrat in the North Carolina House of 
Representatives and he was a member of the North Carolina House of 
Representatives as a Republican. Why we met, I don't know, but 
eventually we became pretty good friends at that point. He then left 
the North Carolina House and came to Washington, D.C., and my father, 
Congressman Walter Jones, Sr., was chairman of the Merchant Marine 
Committee. Mr. Coble, who came from North Carolina, was on that 
committee because he is a former member of the Coast Guard. He was a 
natural because of the work they did on that committee. My father 
became a friend of Howard Coble's. Then I came to Washington, Mr. 
Speaker, as a Republican, and we have been friends for many years.
  This man, to me, is very special as a human being. I heard Mr. Price 
say the ``dean,'' but I call him the ``leadah'', l-e-a-d-a-h. Mr. Coble 
likes to tell people that is because those of us from eastern North 
Carolina don't know the word ``leader'' ends in e-r instead of a-h. I 
did that because at the time we became the majority in 1995, it was a 
change in the House, for sure, and there was a Democrat for a number of 
years, and Mr. Coble, being the kind of man he was, said, ``No, I don't 
want to be called the dean. As long as he's here in Congress, I want 
him to remain the dean.'' I think that says a heck of a lot about who 
this person is. So, Mr. Speaker, I decided that he should be known as 
the ``leadah,'' and therefore many people in the House of 
Representatives from both parties call him the ``leadah''--some with a 
northern accent, some with a west coast accent, but it still sounds the 
same.
  For me, personally, this night is sad because I have spent many 
nights in the last few years where Mr. Coble and I have had dinner 
together at the Capitol Hill Club reminiscing about yesterday but also 
thinking about today. For me, this is a personal relationship that is 
like family, quite frankly. For me to know that I have been reelected 
for another term and to know that Mr. Coble will go back home and enjoy 
the love and affection of the people of Greensboro, it still is sad for 
me personally. I do think that he has given so much not only to the 
State of North Carolina, but to our Nation. He has been a very 
effective leader of the House. He has been a great legislator. He has 
been able to get things done in the Judiciary Committee and other 
committees. He will always be remembered in my heart as a member of my 
family.
  To you, Howard Coble, I love you as a brother in Christ. You are a 
special man who has given so much to not only North Carolina, but to 
America. You will always remain a member of my family. God bless you, 
sir.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to our esteemed colleague from 
eastern North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).
  Mr. McINTYRE. Thank you, Howard, for your spirit, service, and 
standard of statesmanship.
  Howard and I have had a spirit of friendship that has been something 
we have always enjoyed together here on the floor. He has often asked 
me about what the latest score was or when the next game is that our 
beloved Tar Heels were playing in any sport--not just football and 
basketball but baseball and many other sports the team engages in.
  But our spirit has gone even beyond that great school spirit and 
congressional spirit that we share to the spirit we have shared in our 
Lord and how God has touched our lives, and the fellowship together 
that we have had right across the hall in the Congressional Prayer 
Caucus and even on the steps of the Capitol here one evening several 
years ago. I am sure you remember that we shared that together, Howard.
  Second is his service. In addition to his spirit of friendship and 
friendliness to so many people and the spirit that we have shared in 
our Lord is his longevity of service that he has given. But it hasn't 
just been mundane or in-and-out service. It has been a service done 
with life, laughter, and with latitude. He has life in what he does. He 
always shares a smile and makes you laugh and not take things so 
seriously that you can't enjoy what you are doing. We all should be 
able to enjoy this great opportunity of service.
  He also takes the latitude to spend time with you and the latitude to 
literally work across the aisle, as symbolized by the comments you have 
already heard tonight and the friendships that he has across the aisle.
  Third, with that spirit and service is also his standard of 
statesmanship.
  Howard, I think about when we flew together with the Commandant of 
the Coast Guard. You being a Coastie yourself, we often talked about 
the importance of the Coast Guard and how we know it serves us well in 
North Carolina and nationwide. We flew down with the Commandant on his 
plane, and Howard came down to my district to honor Wilmington as the 
Nation's first Coast Guard city on the east coast. We shared that time 
together.
  He was that kind of person that would travel and spend time with you. 
And whether it was on the coast in Wilmington or whether it was on the 
pitching mound together, as he and I and Representatives Foxx and Price 
shared at our alma mater, UNC Chapel Hill, just this past spring, he 
knew always how to show that friendship and to show that standard of 
statesmanship in every situation.
  Thank you, Howard, for always bringing people together. With your 
disarming smile and your friendship you have shown what exemplary 
statesmanship is all about. You have shown that spirit of fellowship 
and friendship. You have given that longevity of service. Most of all, 
you have shown that standard of statesmanship to which we all should 
ascribe.

[[Page 15494]]

  God bless you, my friend, my Christian brother, and my fellow Tar 
Heel. Thank you so much.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the Congresswoman from North 
Carolina, Congresswoman Ellmers.
  Mrs. ELLMERS. I am honored to stand before you to speak on behalf of 
my dear friend, the dean of our delegation, Howard Coble. He has been a 
source of wisdom, an esteemed colleague, and a loyal friend to all 
since taking office in 1985.
  One of the fondest memories that I have of Howard was when I had the 
privilege of watching him accept the Bertholf Award. This prestigious 
honor was awarded to Howard for his unwavering support of the brave men 
and women serving in the United States Coast Guard. When I arrived at 
the ceremony, I wasn't surprised to find the committee room packed from 
wall to wall. Seating was scarce, and there was hardly any standing 
room left for supporters. Everyone was there to show support and 
appreciation for our good friend Howard, just as he has been there to 
show support and appreciation over the years to all of us.
  While speaking at the ceremony, Admiral Papp shared some words of 
advice that Howard once gave him:

       Always take care of your shipmates.

                              {time}  1945

  Howard, you have truly embodied this piece of advice through your 
service in Congress, especially when taking care of your constituents.
  You have always taken care of each of us, your shipmates, through 
both your dedicated service and loyal friendship.
  On a personal note, I have had the incredible honor of following 
Howard in representing Moore and Randolph Counties in District Two, and 
I must say, you are truly loved and respected, and I have very big 
shoes to continue to fill.
  Your retirement marks the end of an era here in Congress, but 
launches the beginning of another incredible journey for you. I wish 
you a long and relaxing retirement, and I will be forever grateful for 
your friendship and guidance through the years.
  Thank you.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield to our colleague from North Carolina, 
Richard Hudson.
  Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, you may notice my sharp jacket tonight. It 
is a madras jacket worn in honor of my dear friend and colleague, 
Howard Coble.
  Howard was not always known for just his colorful jackets. Back when 
he first came to town, Howard Coble was known for his many colorful 
suspenders. In fact, I don't know how many he had, but it was well-
known that he would always have those bright, colorful suspenders on.
  Next he became known for wearing distinctive hats. In fact, in the 
nineties, Tim Russert used to refer to Howard Coble as ``the man with 
the hat.''
  Then it was Tim Russert's son, Luke, who first noticed the madras 
jackets a few years ago, and he actually put on his Twitter account 
that the jacket Howard Coble is wearing tonight looked like ``an 
exploding turtle.''
  So the Russert family has long acknowledged Howard's unique sense of 
style, as have many of his constituents and his friends here in 
Congress.
  Howard Coble has been known for his sense of humor. He once remarked 
that if he put on a brandnew suit, it would immediately look rumpled 
like an unmade bed.
  Howard has always had a self-deprecating humor and a personality that 
draws people to him. Everyone loves him. I learned that as a candidate 
for Congress, Mr. Speaker, because I inherited three counties from 
Howard Coble's former district, so when I would go ask people for 
votes, I had to immediately tell them I wasn't running against Howard 
Coble because, otherwise, they didn't want to talk to me.
  Howard Coble is legendary in his constituent services. He has always 
taken care of his constituents. They know they have a friend in their 
Congressman Howard Coble.
  He set a standard, Mr. Speaker, to which we can all aspire to in 
terms of the integrity with which he has conducted himself, the love 
for people that everyone knows and can sense and is drawn to, and the 
constituent service.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a privilege to get to know Howard Coble. It 
has been an honor to serve with him, and I call him friend. I will miss 
seeing him in Congress every day, but I know that he will not be a 
stranger.
  I just say, God bless you, Howard Coble, and Godspeed.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield to our distinguished colleague from 
North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger).
  Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, much has been said and written about the 
ratings of the United States Congress and the approval of what the 
American people think of us. It is somewhere right around 10 percent.
  Let me tell you those ratings don't take into consideration Howard 
Coble. My esteemed friend in this Congress is regarded by his own 
constituents as a family member.
  Howard Coble chose not to be married, but what became his family were 
his constituents. What became his friends were his colleagues in 
Congress. Both sides of the aisle love Howard.
  I am one, Congressman Coble, who loved seeing you out there on that 
back row every time I walked in, with a big smile and a good story, and 
everybody would come by and say hello to Howard during the course of 
the session, just to see you, because you are special to all of us.
  Yes, my good friend, Congresswoman Foxx, did tell a story about how 
my life was spared as I was chewing some chicken, and I realized I 
couldn't chew and laugh at the same time as I tried to swallow that 
chicken, and then here came Mr. Huckabee to give me the Heimlich and 
save my life.
  Well, you know, I was in a primary a year after that. It was 11 
people in the primary, and the one good thing about that is I got a 
sympathy vote from Mike Huckabee, and he endorsed me, so that was a 
good thing.
  Howard, thank you. Thank you for being committed in your job. On the 
Judiciary Committee, on the Transportation Committee, you were faithful 
in every respect, to do the right thing for North Carolina, for your 
district and, frankly, for the American people.
  We are all in debt to you for your service to this great country. Our 
country is better off today because of the life of Howard Coble.
  Thank you. God bless you.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, it is just a real honor to be here tonight to tell my 
friend, Howard Coble, how much he means to me and how much I am going 
to miss him here in the House of Representatives.
  He has not only been an outstanding leader on the House Judiciary 
Committee--and by the way, I hope the gentleman from North Carolina 
(Mr. Jones) will compile all those wonderful photographs and put them 
in some kind of a binder so that--a book maybe, so that all of us can 
see and enjoy all those historic caricatures that have been created in 
Howard's honor over these many years--but not only has he been a great 
member of the House Judiciary Committee, he has been a close personal 
friend of mine for more than 20 years.
  In addition to serving with him on the committee, he is somebody who 
is always turning to others, taking an interest in them. He has an 
uncanny ability to remember the mascots for virtually any high school 
or college that someone attended and his ability to always ask others 
how they are feeling.
  With respect to this last point, he has defused more than a few 
difficult conversations by asking people, ``How is your back feeling?'' 
Inevitably, especially if someone is older, they begin to talk about 
back problems and forget what they were so exercised about.
  He is also a great tennis player. For nearly 20 years, I have had the 
honor of playing tennis with him very early on Wednesday mornings. 
Howard isn't known for moving around the court really fast, but the 
thing about him is

[[Page 15495]]

he always was there where you hit the ball, and he always put it back 
just exactly where he wanted it to go, an amazing accomplishment. So 
Howard, thank you very much for that.
  I want to tell one story in conjunction with a field hearing that 
took place in Nashville--Howard is a great fan of bluegrass music and 
country music in general--a field hearing that took place in Nashville 
when the Fairness in Music Licensing bill was under consideration in 
the late 1990s, a meeting was arranged with Garth Brooks.
  Howard, who was serving as the then-subcommittee chairman, was a 
lifelong fan of bluegrass and traditional country music. He didn't 
really know who Brooks was and was far more interested in arranging a 
meeting with Grandpa Jones from the Grand Ole Opry, but he knows who he 
is now. In fact, Garth is making a comeback; and, Howard, you will 
enjoy many, many more opportunities to enjoy the music that you love.
  He would always ask me how things were in the Star City, which is my 
hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, and took an interest in me and what I 
was doing.
  On the committee, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, 
Intellectual Property, and the Internet, where he serves now and has 
served on a number of occasions in the past, he stood very strong for 
the rights, the private property rights of people who are creators of 
music and motion pictures and great products that they seek patents on 
and so on.
  His work will serve for a long time in the future to protect that 
great American incentive to create and create jobs. His work has 
created many jobs for many Americans.
  He is a true son of the Sixth District of North Carolina. I am from 
the Sixth District of Virginia, but in his case, he is a lifelong son 
of the Sixth District, having been born in Greensboro, educated in the 
Sixth District, and been a county attorney and an assistant U.S. 
attorney. He has been a revenuer with the North Carolina Department of 
Revenue.
  What I didn't know was that his first 6 years in his professional 
life, he was a claims adjuster for the State Farm Mutual Automobile 
Insurance Company. So here, in the closing days of his service, I am 
still learning new things about my friend, Howard Coble.
  Howard, thank you very much for not only being my friend and a great 
colleague to all of us here in the House, but for being a great 
American. Thank you, and God bless you.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield to our colleague from North Carolina, 
Patrick McHenry, the chief deputy whip.
  Mr. McHENRY. I thank the secretary of the Republican Conference, my 
colleague and classmate from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I stand in tribute with the fine threads of a man 
named Howard Coble. Congressman, State representative, Secretary of the 
North Carolina Department of Revenue, captain of the United States 
Coast Guard, school bus driver--that is where it all began, in high 
school. That was his first public service.
  John Howard Coble has held a variety of titles during his time and 
during his years, but to me, he has always been known as the dean, the 
dean of the North Carolina delegation, which he has been, for the last 
15 years, the longest-serving Republican Member of this body in the 
history of the State of North Carolina, and my friend.
  I am here to pay tribute and to thank him for his time in public 
service. He is what a Member of Congress should be, and that is 
concerned for his constituents and being their voice here in Washington 
and having an impact.
  You certainly, my dean, have had a huge impact on my life, those that 
are paying tribute to say thank you tonight, but also your constituents 
and the American people, and we thank you.
  Now, there are a number of stories about the dean, a number of them I 
would like to tell over the years, and most of them are, in fact, true.
  This one story I want to tell tonight--actually, two, if I may. It 
goes back to the first time Howard ran for Congress in 1984. The 
campaign committee for the Republicans brought up folks in tough, 
challenging races to have some video and film shot with President 
Ronald Reagan. He helped with his popularity to help get some folks 
across the finish line in 1984.
  Howard was so nervous that he forget to shake the Gipper's hand, so 
one of the campaign committee staff, they were coming to Coble's 
district, and Howard said, ``Where were you?'' And he said, ``Well, I 
was just in Alabama with President Reagan.''
  ``Oh, really?''
  He says, ``Yeah. I told him I was going to Greensboro, and President 
Reagan looked at me and said, 'Well, tell that son of a gun that didn't 
shake my hand I said hello.'''
  So Howard got a little flustered and was a little embarrassed and 
everything else until everybody started laughing, but Howard has had a 
great sense of humor, and that shows the real testament to Howard's 
integrity.
  The other thing about Howard is fiscal conservatism. It goes back to 
what he said in his first campaign, he is going to bring a sharp pencil 
to the Washington budget, and he, in fact, has.
  In fact, it wasn't very well-appreciated during his early service in 
Congress. There was a Member of Congress who was furious, who said, 
``That sharp pencil might actually get your ticket written out of 
Congress.'' And Howard told him that he thought, ``Well, I believe 
there is life after Congress,'' and let the guy go on his way.
  Well, that guy was not reelected, and Howard has been reelected 14 
times during his time here, so true proof that fiscal conservatism can 
still win.
  There are a number of other stories that we will talk about over 
perhaps a drink afterwards, but the one thing is everybody from his 
district knows and those of us from North Carolina know that he knows 
every high school mascot in the State of North Carolina.
  Every child that I see that comes through Congress is simply amazed 
that their dean knows where they are from and knows their high school 
and their high school mascot.

                              {time}  2000

  It is because he cares. So we are grateful tonight, and we want to 
say ``thank you'' to our friend, our dean, our leader--John Howard 
Coble.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. I want to thank the secretary of the Republican caucus 
for granting me the time tonight and to say that I rise as a Member 
from the loyal opposition, who has great affection, friendship, and 
admiration for my neighbor in the Rayburn Building.
  Mr. Speaker, I would say that Congressman Howard Coble represents the 
values of gentlemanly behavior, affability, cordiality, some might 
say--those of us from the North would call it--a bit of a courtly 
manner, which I always associated with the South. He is not just a man 
of character, but he is a character, and his personality and demeanor 
represent the type of collegiality that is so important to bring this 
institution together. I have no doubt he has well represented the 
constituents of his North Carolina district these many years--the Sixth 
District--and they probably share my great affection for this wonderful 
man.
  Now, I say that knowing that we disagree, issue-wise, on almost 
everything; but I think Howard Coble is the kind of person who 
represents what Congress should be--individuals who may disagree on 
issues but who become friends through their years of service. That is 
really remarkable because many people who go to work every day in this 
country go to work with people who think just like they do. They are in 
the same business or they teach a course in something or they are 
surrounded by those who agree, but what makes Howard Coble special is 
he can be friends with people who disagree. Now, those who disagree 
with him even might come from his own party. One comes to mind in 
particular, someone he has kindly called the ``lady of the harbor.'' I 
don't know if former Congresswoman Helen Bentley is listening tonight 
or not, but she has a few remembrances of Howard as well.

[[Page 15496]]

  Though we might have disagreed, we became great friends, and it makes 
the service bearable. It makes it bearable. Howard is also my neighbor 
over in the Rayburn Building, and there isn't a time that we pass in 
the hall that he always doesn't say, ``Hey, good morning.'' ``Hey, good 
afternoon. How are you doing?'' His compassionate nature and his Mr. 
Cordiality, really, are extraordinary qualities in an institution where 
people come with very, very strongly held views. So I want to pay 
tribute to Howard Coble's service. I didn't know he was the longest-
serving Republican in North Carolina history. He has served honorably, 
and he has helped this institution to hold together.
  Thank you, Howard Coble, for teaching all of us how to behave and how 
to be effective in our service. May God bless you in the days and years 
ahead. You know you always have family here. We appreciate your 
service, and we thank the people of North Carolina for sending you here 
these many years. Godspeed.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to our distinguished colleague 
from Texas, Mr. Lamar Smith.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, let me say that I am absolutely privileged and honored 
to be here tonight to be able to talk about such a good friend, Howard 
Coble.
  If I were to describe Howard in two words--and this is an ultimate 
compliment in my book--it would be that he is a gentleman and a 
scholar, and there aren't too many people who actually succeed in 
achieving both those kinds of distinctions.
  So, Howard, it is nice to be with you tonight. You are here in the 
front row of the House Chamber, and we celebrate your contributions to 
public service, and we honor you for being the great person that you 
are.
  I have often said--and I have mentioned this to Howard Coble in 
person--that if there were such a thing as a congressional class 
president, it would be Howard Coble. Now, we don't have such a thing as 
a class president, but if we did, I think Howard would be nominated and 
voted upon and approved by acclamation. He is that popular here. He is 
that dearly loved and respected by all of us.
  I have had the privilege of sitting next to him on the Judiciary 
Committee for many, many years, and during that time, I have watched 
Howard work; I have watched him speak; and I have watched him think. He 
has been the chairman of three subcommittees on the Judiciary 
Committee--first, Crime; second, Administrative Law; and, third, 
Intellectual Property--that being the most recent subcommittee that he 
has chaired. He also chaired another subcommittee, early on, on the 
Transportation Committee, which means that he is probably one of those 
rare Members of Congress--perhaps even the only one--who has chaired 
four subcommittees in the House of Representatives.
  Throughout all of that time and in all of my years of being with 
Howard, he has exhibited some wonderful attributes, and those qualities 
are graciousness, smarts, and politeness--again, a rare combination in 
any individual, but those are the qualities--those are the attributes--
that we see in Howard on a daily basis.
  Howard Coble and I share something else in common, and that is that 
we often are half of a congressional doubles team that has been playing 
tennis for years and years and years.
  Howard, I would like to say that we are the better half, and maybe 
that is true half the time--I am not sure--or something close to that. 
There have been a number of Members who have participated in these 
doubles matches, and two primary Members who are oftentimes on the 
other side of the net from Howard and me are Bob Goodlatte and Fred 
Upton. They have been joined on occasion by Shelley Moore Capito and 
also by Kevin Yoder.
  I have to say, Howard, I do believe that whoever plays with Shelley 
Moore Capito probably wins more often than not, or maybe I should say 
that when Shelley was playing with, say, Bob or Fred that we had our 
hands full. That is not to say we were always on the losing side. We 
held our own. It has just been a real pleasure to enjoy those times 
together with you, and I will say, unequivocally, that I don't know of 
anybody else who is a better volleyer than you. If anyone got a tennis 
ball past you in the last 10 years, I did not see it, so we appreciate 
your tennis prowess as well.
  Lastly, again, we are here tonight just to honor a great man--a 
gentleman and a scholar--both for his public service, for being an 
example to all of us in the House, and also, to so many of us, for 
being just an exceptionally good friend.
  Howard, thank you for being with us for these wonderful years that 
you have been in Congress. You have done so much for your constituents 
and have done so much for us as well--your colleagues and friends in 
the House. It is a privilege to be here tonight.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. 
Sheila Jackson Lee.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I thank the manager of this Special Order, and it 
gives me great privilege to be able to stand here today.
  Mr. Speaker, as I look at Congressman Coble, I think of the men and 
women who love this institution. I love it, and I have had the 
privilege of serving on the House Judiciary Committee, which I believe 
is the holder of the Founding Fathers' dream of democracy for this 
country. As I have worked with Congressman Coble, I have seen nothing 
but his love for the law, for the broad depth of the House Judiciary 
Committee and, might I say, the power.
  Congressman, you have used that power with gentlemanly gentleness and 
forcefulness in representing your constituents and your philosophy.
  We have had some tough battles on the House Judiciary Committee, but 
I have always seen and known Howard Coble to be a gentleman.
  I am reminded of how many days and moments and minutes and months 
that we have been here in this place, and, Howard, I believe that, 
every time we have seen each other, we have said ``hello'' with a 
smile. I thank you for that, and it represents your love of this 
country and your love of the system of justice and democracy and the 
respect for difference of opinion.
  Let me also say that I have a great Texan as my daughter. She loves 
Texas, and she is now an elected official, but she went on to the 
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke. She couldn't 
leave North Carolina. She knew the bipartisan manner of your work, and 
as they studied on those two campuses, they knew Congressman Howard 
Coble.
  So let me say to you, on behalf of those of us who have worked with 
you over the years--Democrats and Republicans--and in the time that I 
have had the privilege of serving in this House, what a mighty ``thank 
you'' we want to give you and to recognize the service you have given 
to the Nation, to your constituents and, certainly, the teaching that 
you have given to all of us. Well done, my good friend. We will miss 
you, and we wish for you a long life and an enjoyable time in 
continuing to serve in your own way the United States of America. Thank 
you so very much. We love you, Howard.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I now yield to our distinguished colleague 
from North Carolina (Mr. Holding).
  Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak for a few minutes about 
some of the many remarkable qualities that my friend--the leader of the 
North Carolina delegation, Congressman Howard Coble--has exemplified 
throughout his nearly 30 years of service to the Sixth District of 
North Carolina and its people.
  To earn the continuous confidence of your constituents for three 
decades, Mr. Speaker, is a tremendous honor, and it is one that Howard 
Coble has unfailingly performed with remarkable humility, never taking 
it for granted that he would be reelected.
  To also earn the respect and devotion of your staff, Members of this 
House on both sides of the aisle--certainly as we have seen tonight--
and of the many stakeholders whom he has worked with

[[Page 15497]]

on a daily basis throughout his career as a legislator is a testament 
to Howard's commitment to public service, and more importantly, Mr. 
Speaker, it is a testament to his personal character and charm.
  Many of the laws Howard Coble has authored have been in politically 
and technically complex areas--copyright, patent and trademark. These 
agreements can be very difficult to negotiate when it is vitally 
important to the public and the American economy that we get it right. 
Howard Coble has gotten it right. He has protected the rights of 
individual authors and inventors just as the drafters of the 
Constitution intended them to be. Howard's skills and his unblemished 
reputation for fair dealing among all parties have been critical to the 
congressional efforts over the many years to forge consensus in these 
difficult areas.
  Howard's commitment to public service, as we have heard tonight from 
the other speakers, began long before 1984 when he was elected to 
Congress. It is a commitment to public service that spans over 50 
years. Throughout his life, he has performed these duties with a sense 
of grace, compassion, and respect--respect for people, respect for his 
colleagues, respect for the process, respect for the institutions of 
government--as have all been echoed here tonight.
  I have talked to a number of Congressman Coble's staff to hear 
reflections that they have had, and a number of them have recalled some 
poignant moments:
  One recalled the valuable lessons that Howard has taught him. One of 
the longest-serving staff members told me how impressed he was to learn 
why Howard went back to his district regularly to meet with 
constituents--constituents who were unlikely to support him. He didn't 
only meet with his supporters but with the folks who didn't support 
him. Howard explained that the congressional seat he was in didn't 
belong to him but that it was their seat and that all of his 
constituents needed to know that they have a Congressman who cares 
about them, who thinks about them, and who represents them in 
Washington--even if they decide never to vote for him that he will 
represent them;
  Another staff member echoed the sentiment, recalling how refreshing 
it was to work for a Member who was always able to stay true to his 
ideas, describing Howard as someone who appreciates real people;
  Another staff member remarked that she was so impressed at how other 
Members responded to him. She recalled that at the beginning of a 
Judiciary Committee markup right before Howard's father passed away 
that Chairman Hyde started off with a moment of silence and that, after 
that moment of silence, the first two Members to come up to Howard and 
express sorrow for his loss were Representative Watt and Representative 
Delahunt--two colleagues who crossed the aisle to console and share a 
moment with their friend who was mourning a loss.

                              {time}  2015

  Witnessing that moment made this young staffer proud to work for 
Howard. It taught her a lot about the importance of treating people in 
a humane fashion. And, indeed, Howard treats everyone humanely, whether 
it is in a meeting with constituents, a meeting with high-level 
officials, a meeting with celebrities, or meeting with staff members 
after a long day, having them come over to his office where they share 
a laugh for a few moments, calling staff members after a long markup 
and telling them that he really appreciated the work they did today.
  In an interview, Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, Howard stated: ``I've been 
richly blessed with good friends up here and also back home. And I will 
continue to embrace those friends, even though I'm leaving.''
  Well, Mr. Speaker, it is us who have been richly blessed by Howard. 
And we will continue to embrace our good friend Howard because he is a 
friend and a mentor to us all forever.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to give our colleague from North 
Carolina a moment to respond if he wishes to make any comments about 
the comments that we have made about him. I am not sure that I want to 
just yield him such time as he may consume, but my hope is that if he 
wishes to respond, he will take the opportunity to do so.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues know, my middle name 
is Brevity. If it can be said in 5 minutes, don't take 25 minutes to 
say it.
  You all surely do know how to make an old man feel good, and I thank 
you for this. You have embellished many areas of my life which I have 
embraced as well.
  But I must correct what Patrick McHenry said. I do not know every 
mascot in North Carolina. I think Virginia has given me credit for that 
too.
  Thanks to all of you who have taken part in this Special Order. You 
have made me feel very special, and for that, I thank you.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of my colleagues who have 
come down tonight. I did not thank them on an individual basis because 
I wanted to save as much time as possible for people to make the 
comments that they have made.
  I think the fact that we have had such a bipartisan presentation here 
tonight supports the comments that have been made tonight. The comments 
that have been made, notwithstanding what our colleague said, have been 
extremely eloquent, and I want to thank everybody for coming down.
  I want you to know that we did our best to have this event earlier 
this year, but we could not get on Mr. Coble's schedule because there 
were so many parties going on on his behalf that we had an awful time 
finding a night to do it.
  I don't know anybody who has more people paying him tribute than our 
friend Howard Coble. We are going to miss him tremendously and his 
North Carolina values of hard work, common sense, and sacrifice on 
behalf of those he has served.
  It has been a personal joy for me to work alongside Howard Coble in 
the Congress for the last 10 years, and it really is hard to imagine 
how we will go on without him.
  His friendship and leadership on our State delegation will be dearly 
missed in the coming years. But his legacy of service and devotion to 
our home State and all North Carolinians will continue to be a standard 
for current and future leaders to follow. He will always be our dean. 
He will always be our ``leadah.''
  And, Mr. Speaker, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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