[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16604-16611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1845
            SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER AND HIS SERVICE TO AMERICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hill). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 6, 2015, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing the time this evening with 
the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), who will handle the Democratic 
Members who are interested in speaking, and I think there may be some 
language up there that the Chair may want to read into the Record at 
the appropriate time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair understands that all time yielded 
to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) will be yielded through the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, in having represented a neighboring district 
to John Boehner's for 19 of the last 21 years, I have come to know John 
pretty well. I consider him not just a colleague and the leader of the 
House, but a friend.
  It is not just our time in Congress in representing neighboring 
districts that we share. We have had a lot in common throughout our 
lives, and we have often talked about those similarities.
  We have both lived in the Cincinnati area our entire lives. We were 
born and grew up in Reading, a small, blue-collar neighborhood just to 
the north of the city of Cincinnati, although my family moved to 
Cincinnati's west side when I was 6 years old.
  We were both second-born children, although I am the second of 4 and 
John is the second of 12 children. We were both raised--and still are--
Catholic. So I know just how important having Pope Francis speak to a 
joint session of Congress was for Speaker John Boehner.
  We both played football in rival Catholic high schools in the GCL, 
the Greater Cincinnati League, which is an incredibly competitive 
league in a football-crazy State: Ohio. We both played defense.
  In fact, we both had ties to former head coaches at Notre Dame. John 
played for Gerry Faust at Moeller High School, and I was recruited to 
William & Mary by Lou Holtz, both of whom, of course, became head 
coaches at Notre Dame.
  We both worked to put ourselves through school as janitors. Later we 
both ran small businesses, John with a packaging and plastics business 
and I with a very small law practice.
  We both served in local politics in the Cincinnati area in the 1980s 
before being elected to Congress. So in many ways I understand the 
challenges that John has overcome, probably, more than most.
  Make no mistake. John Boehner's story is incredible. It is the 
American Dream personified.
  A couple of my colleagues, I know, would like to speak here this 
evening. So, first, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs).
  Mr. GIBBS. I thank the gentleman from southern Ohio.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to speak today to recognize outgoing 
Speaker Boehner, whom I got to know a little bit better in 2010, when I 
ran for Congress. So many of us are here today serving and had 
difficult races that year, and the Speaker's commitment to us was a big 
morale boost in that long campaign.

[[Page 16605]]

  I remember the last days of the 2010 election when we had two 
standing room only rallies in Zanesville and Chillicothe, Ohio. On the 
eve of those historic victories, I was proud to stand with Speaker 
Boehner and lay out the vision for the Republican House.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a picture of the Zanesville rally hanging on the 
wall in my home. As you begin your retirement, I hope that you will 
continue to look back on those chilly October rallies in 2010 as fondly 
as I do.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the years of service to the people of 
western Ohio and the country and your confidence in me and in so many 
other candidates in 2010. I congratulate you on your retirement, and I 
wish you and your family nothing but the best.
  Godspeed.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for his very kind remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur). I 
might note that she is the most senior now of the 16 Members from Ohio 
and is the longest serving woman in the entire House of 
Representatives.
  Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman from Cincinnati, Congressman 
Chabot, for organizing this important hour of recognition, and I thank 
all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have taken the time 
to be here to thank Speaker John Boehner for his service to America.
  Mr. Speaker, John has served the people of Ohio ably for well more 
than two decades, having begun his career in the Ohio legislature, but 
he has served here in the Congress now for more than two decades.
  If we think about that period of time, we think about the various 
situations that he has faced as a Member and then later as Speaker, 
certainly, in the late 1990s, being part of a broad coalition to 
balance the budget when President Clinton was President. Literally, we 
were able to balance the budget by the end of the 1990s and begin 
paying back America's long-term debt.
  That all changed with the dawn of war in the 21st century, with the 
9/11 attack on our country, subsequent military conflicts, and then the 
2008-2009 economic crash, which we are still digging our way out of. We 
look at the more recent, sad invasion by Russia of Ukraine and at the 
ensuing conflict in the Middle East that has now spilled over into 
Syria.
  I would say that this period of Speaker Boehner's service, both as 
Speaker and then prior, as a Member, has been a very difficult time for 
America.
  If I think about some of my favorite memories of the Speaker, 
certainly it would be one of our most recent experiences as a Congress, 
with Pope Francis coming here and the Speaker's handkerchief being very 
wet during that period, but I know of his utter joy at having worked so 
hard to invite the Pope here to address us. For the first time in 
American history, a Pope addressed the Congress as the head of state.
  Another memory I have of the Speaker--and, I think, Congressman 
Chabot shared--was with Ohio State and the victors over here in the 
Speaker's Lobby. Over in the Rayburn Room, all of us were posing, 
Republican and Democrat alike. We were very proud of our Ohio Buckeyes. 
Some of our colleagues, like Congressman Joyce, was handing out 
Buckeyes to every Member, which his wife made. There were moments of 
joy as well.
  There were the Speaker's many accomplishments, such as the Speaker 
requiring bills to be posted 3 days online before we voted on them. He 
had many accomplishments and built a legacy in his own right, as a 
reasonable voice for his party, despite presiding over a fractious 
membership that has become more fractious with the ensuing years. He 
consistently worked to find a way forward during a period as 
contentious as any, that I recall, in the history of this Congress, 
even when compromise seemed out of reach.
  I would have to say, without question, Speaker Boehner's departure is 
a huge loss to our Buckeye State. The House is a place where seniority 
and the ability to balance competing and sometimes intractable demands 
matter, and we as Ohioans are very, very grateful for his service.
  As the most senior member of Ohio's Buckeye delegation, I thank the 
Speaker for his dutiful and patriotic service to the people of the 
United States and to this House for 25 years. His respectful and 
moderating presence--often with a smile--in this House will be missed.
  May he and his family enjoy the years ahead as he returns home to 
Ohio and, I think, to some other locations to get some deserved R&R 
after the very difficult period during which he has served.
  We have several speakers on this side, Congressman Chabot, and we 
await your yielding us time in order to recognize them in due order. I 
thank you so much.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind words.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Renacci), whom I 
happened to defeat in the Ohio delegation fantasy football league this 
past weekend.
  Mr. RENACCI. I thank the gentleman. I did not know we were going to 
talk about that tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, tonight I join my colleagues in voicing my appreciation 
for the years of dedicated service of our Speaker, John Boehner.
  Speaker Boehner has been a strong leader through some very difficult 
and unique times. He has faced many challenging situations and 
decisions, but he has also celebrated many great accomplishments.
  He arranged for Congress to hear from great foreign leaders during 
pivotal times in our Nation, such as Israel's Prime Minister and the 
Ukranian President. Most recently, he orchestrated the historic visit 
of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, to address a 
joint session of Congress.
  He has been a leader on improving our education system and the lives 
of all children. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve 
alongside him in this Chamber and with the Ohio delegation.
  Mr. Speaker, one fun fact about Speaker Boehner and I: We both love 
to play golf, and I have played a lot of courses with him, but never in 
the same foursome.
  So, Speaker Boehner, I look forward to one day joining you for a 
friendly round of 18.
  Again, I want to thank Speaker Boehner and his family for their years 
of service and dedication to our country.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Chicago, 
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
  Mr. LIPINSKI. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the public service commitment and 
dedication of Speaker John Boehner.
  The Speaker has much to be proud of, and we all should be thankful 
for his service to his constituents, to the House, and to our Nation.
  While we all can find issues on which we didn't agree with him, I 
appreciate that Speaker Boehner did his utmost best to keep the House 
functioning in a vital branch of government--yes, in some very, very 
difficult times--but I think history will really show that John Boehner 
did a fantastic job in getting us through these times.
  Speaker Boehner, we all know, has a big heart. I guess it is not 
demonstrated in his profane way that he likes to address his friends, 
but it is demonstrated well by all of the time and effort he has put 
into a scholarship program for disadvantaged children in Washington, 
D.C., to go to Catholic schools. He knew the advantages that he had in 
going to Catholic school, and he wanted to give those advantages to 
others. I think that really says much more about John Boehner than 
anything else, probably, that he has done.
  So thank you, Speaker Boehner, for your service and the sacrifices 
you, your wife Debbie, and your entire family have made.
  I would also like to acknowledge the Speaker's staff, who are a great 
reflection of the Speaker. I especially want to acknowledge his Chief 
of Staff, Mike Sommers; his floor leader, Jo-Marie St. Martin; his 
former Chief of Staff, Barry Jackson; Katherine Haley; Maria Lohmeyer; 
Tommy Andrews; and so many others who really helped this place to run.

[[Page 16606]]

  Thank you for all of your service, and I wish all of you the very 
best.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Latta).
  Mr. LATTA. Thank you very much. I appreciate Chairman Chabot for 
yielding and for the Special Order tonight to honor Speaker Boehner.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a time of reflection when you kind of remember 
some of the first times you actually meet people and have met people, 
and this is one of the things I remember about John Boehner.
  I was in the Ohio General Assembly. What a couple of our colleagues 
and some of my fellow Members here tonight will remember very well are 
Senators White and Nein.
  We were walking across the street in front of the State House in 
Columbus, and I said, ``Hey, why don't you come over with us. We are 
going to have a meeting with John Boehner, who is in the U.S. House, 
and talk about some of the things that he is doing on education.''
  That is the first time I met the Speaker, and I can still remember 
how impassioned he was at that time when you were talking about 
education and about the youth of America.
  The next time I really got to know the Speaker was during my special 
election back in 2007. After it was all over, I can still remember that 
my wife and I got a call from the Clerk's Office here. It was around 11 
p.m. on election night.
  They said, ``We need to know when you are going to come down and get 
sworn in.''
  I said, ``I need to talk to my wife about that.'' I said, ``Don't we 
need to worry about the Secretary of State?''
  ``Oh, no. We see that as no problem at all.''
  So we started talking about it because we wanted to make sure our 
daughters were here to see me get sworn in. We had this all planned out 
that we would come down the following Monday.
  I was pulling into the State House's parking garage the very next 
morning, at about 9 a.m., because I was still a member of the State 
General Assembly and had to vote that day. Just as I am pulling in, my 
phone rings.
  I say, ``Hello,'' and it is John Boehner.
  He asked, ``Latta, when are you coming down here?''
  I said, ``You know, it is funny. I just got off the phone. I was 
talking with my wife about that.'' I said, ``I think we can get there 
on Monday.''
  He said, ``You will be here tomorrow.''
  And I said, ``Leader, we will see you tomorrow.''
  But he has always been very, very accessible. The Members here in the 
House have always been very appreciative of that. There has never been 
a time that I have been denied an opportunity to sit down with him in 
his office to go over the issues that are important to me and to the 
people of my district.

                              {time}  1900

  It is also important that, as the chairman said a little earlier 
about being from the same area, well, the Speaker and I share a county 
in northwest Ohio, which is Mercer County. The people there speak so 
highly of him.
  So with all these years that have gone by, I just want to wish the 
Speaker, Debbie, and his whole family all the best and a great 
retirement.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for his kind words for the Speaker.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much.
  I would just like to say that one of the features I like best about 
John Boehner is that he wanted to be Speaker of the House. He didn't 
want to be President. He didn't want to head over to the other body. He 
didn't want a Supreme Court nomination.
  He really loved this House, and that matters. That matters to all of 
us who continue to serve, and that matters to the historical record.
  We appreciate all of the substance that he has given. Whether you 
agreed with him on issues or not, he definitely was a man of the House.
  Mr. CHABOT. I yield to the gentlewoman from northeastern Ohio (Marcia 
Fudge), representing Cleveland down to Akron.
  Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with the Ohio delegation 
this evening to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your 24 years in the U.S. 
House of Representatives and for your lifetime of public service. You 
have served this Nation and the people of Ohio with distinction.
  For 24 years, you have honored and respected this institution. You 
have worked arduously to get things done. As Speaker, you have been a 
leader willing to listen to all sides and address the complex issues of 
our time. We applaud your commitment and dedication to the House and 
will be forever grateful for your statesmanship and courtesy.
  While we may not have always agreed, your door was always open. I 
could always come to you and discuss problems and issues. I respect 
your opinion and consider you a friend.
  I speak for everyone when I say you will be missed in this House. You 
are a gentleman and a scholar, and it has been a pleasure and a 
privilege to have served with you. I wish you well in your retirement.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind words.
  I mentioned before in my opening statement that there are a number of 
rival GCL, Greater Cincinnati League, high schools. They are rivals in 
all sports, in academics and everything really, but especially in 
football.
  As I mentioned, Speaker Boehner went to Moeller, one of those GCL 
schools. I went to LaSalle. Elder is another school. The fourth school, 
not necessarily in order because they beat LaSalle this year and for 
the last 5 years, is St. Xavier High School.
  The next gentleman who will be sharing in this tribute to our Speaker 
is a graduate of St. Xavier High School, and that is Brad Wenstrup.
  I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).
  Mr. WENSTRUP. Well, I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am here to recognize the gentleman from Reading, Ohio. 
It is a town in my district full of hardworking people and committed 
families.
  Now, this man from Reading grew up in a big and very faithful family. 
He learned the value of hard work sweeping the floors of his father's 
bar and worked his way through Xavier University in Cincinnati.
  When he came to Washington, he was a reformer from day one. The last 
man standing from the Gang of Seven, he worked to clean up corruption 
from the House bank in the 1990s to banning earmarks today.
  For the first time in half a century, the House of Representatives 
decreased discretionary spending for 2 years in a row.
  Mr. Speaker, with all of your service in mind, I am reminded of a 
Teddy Roosevelt quote. It says: ``It is not the critic who counts; not 
the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer 
of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is 
actually in the arena.'' And that is you.
  John Boehner attended Moeller High School, as Representative Chabot 
mentioned, a school in Cincinnati that I am proud to say is a rival to 
my high school, St. Xavier. We beat Moeller this year, and, Mr. Chabot, 
we beat LaSalle this year.
  You know, through that Catholic schooling, John Boehner committed 
himself to thousands of children that seek a real education and values 
in their lives. His support for educational choice has opened pathways 
of opportunity for thousands of children locked in poverty, fighting to 
give all students a chance to choose their own future.
  For over a decade, John Boehner has held fundraisers for scholarships 
for D.C. children seeking a chance in life through education at D.C. 
Catholic schools that otherwise they could not get.
  I hope that these acts of kindness will be permanently engraved in 
the legacy of Speaker John Boehner.
  So thank you, Mr. Speaker, not only on behalf of the largest 
Republican majority since 1928, but on behalf of my

[[Page 16607]]

family and for your and Debbie's personal kindness and guidance to us.
  Good luck, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for his very kind words.
  I yield to the esteemed gentleman from New York City (Mr. Rangel).
  Mr. RANGEL. Well, I am not only going to miss Speaker John Boehner, 
but I am going to miss when I leave next year the Congress that John 
Boehner and I have loved so much.
  If Republicans think that they had a problem with John Boehner, they 
should have known Jack Kemp because it was Jack Kemp who introduced me 
to John Boehner. And at that time, we acknowledged that there were 
Democrats and Republicans, but the whole idea that you could be 
vindictive enough to attempt to destroy someone politically or not work 
together as John did with George Miller in bringing Leave No Child 
Behind--the work that I have done on Ways and Means with trade and was 
so open in dealing with John, who represented, not an ideology, but 
represented what he thought was best for the country.
  To me, John Boehner was, as so many people have said, just a regular 
guy, the first one in his family, like so many of us, that went to 
college. He entered public service and through a variety of things 
became the Speaker of the House, which has to be just one of the 
greatest sense of pride that any American could ever have.
  The whole idea that there were people in this partisan time that 
would believe that they would want him to leave even more than 
Democrats would want him to leave is something that would have to be 
explained by history.
  Of course, things are strange today. There is a Black doctor brain 
surgeon who is now leading for President for the Republican Party. And 
Donald Trump, a favorite with Saturday Night Livers, is right behind 
him for President. There is a big battle as to who will replace John.
  These are things that are just so unusual so that, while I miss John, 
I am just missing the days when we used to come to this floor in this 
Congress to decide how many votes do we need to get something passed. 
We hoped that we would be in the majority, but the most exciting thing 
would be being able to work with the other side and being able to sit 
with the President or stand with the President and to truly feel that 
you were not a Democrat or Republican, but you got legislation passed.
  We never called it compromise. I guess we called it just working 
together and enjoying working together, and that is gone. I don't know 
whether it will come back.
  It would seem to me that John is always going to be remembered as 
somebody that cared more about his country, his family, and this 
Congress than he did about being Speaker. And that is the way I want to 
remember him.
  Thank you, Congressman Chabot and Congresswoman Kaptur, for giving me 
this opportunity.
  Mr. CHABOT. I appreciate the gentleman's words. He has been around 
here a long time. He is a very distinguished gentleman, a Korean war 
veteran, and we respect you greatly.
  I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi).
  Mr. TIBERI. Mr. Speaker, what a journey. What a journey. It is a 
journey that I got to join after I was elected to the House in November 
of 2000.
  My first real interaction with you, Mr. Speaker, you might remember, 
you were the incoming chairman of the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce.
  As freshmen, we were putting together our requests to decide what our 
top committee assignments would be. Education and the Workforce wasn't 
one of mine, but apparently it is one of yours, not just for you as 
chairman but for me as freshman because you came by and you saw my list 
and said, ``I don't know why you are doing that. You are going to be on 
the Education and the Workforce Committee.'' I said, ``No, I am not.'' 
Yes, I was and, yes, I did. And it was an unbelievable experience. It 
was one which I did not expect. And as Chairman Rangel said, it was one 
that made history with George Miller and the late Senator Ted Kennedy 
and President George W. Bush. It wouldn't have happened without the 
leadership of then-Chairman Boehner.
  Boy, could he run a committee. It was really his forte, and most 
Americans don't even know what a great committee chairman he was. He 
was a committee chairman's chairman, quite frankly.
  He, as leader, as Speaker, will go down in history as one who 
cherished that process. That process was not always what he liked or 
what he wanted, but he sure understood it, he sure respected it, and he 
sure loved it. As Mr. Rangel knows, he was sure good at it in a 
bipartisan way.
  In early 2006, we had an opening for majority leader. I harken back 
to a dinner that I was able to attend back in 2002 when I heard then-
Chairman Boehner say, ``You know, some day I would like to be back in 
leadership.''
  I looked at him like he was crazy. You are kidding me? How could he 
do that?
  Do you know what he did? He just worked hard. He did the right 
things. He played the long game. He helped people. When the opening 
that nobody saw came in 2006, he won an upset race on the second ballot 
to become our majority leader.
  The die was already cast, and we lost that election in November of 
2006. The Democrats took the majority, and John was our minority 
leader. He worked hard. Many thought that we would never see that 
majority again.
  On November, the day before the election in 2010, I had lunch with 
then-Leader Boehner, and he said: ``We are going to take the majority 
back, and it is going to happen tomorrow.''
  Ladies and gentlemen, history all changed when Pope Francis came. It 
changed because Pope Francis was here, but it changed the history of 
John Boehner's speakership. I am confident history will show that John 
Boehner was one of the best Speakers in the history of our country.
  Mr. Speaker, Godspeed. We will miss you.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman very much. Very inspiring.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, next will be Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who 
had served as the minority leader of the Ohio Senate prior to arriving 
here has just arrived with such capacity, and I know she has served 
with John Boehner and knows him very well.
  Thank you for being here this evening, Congresswoman Beatty.
  Mr. CHABOT. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty).
  Mrs. BEATTY. Thank you to my friend, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and 
Congressman Chabot for managing tonight's Special Order.
  I am proud to join my colleagues as we salute Speaker John Andrew 
Boehner for his almost 25 years of service and being elected this 
January to his third term as Speaker of the House.
  Tonight my remarks are personal. I have had the pleasure of knowing 
John Boehner for more than three decades. Although at different times 
we both served in the Ohio House of Representatives, he and my spouse, 
Otto, served and worked on many things together.

                              {time}  1915

  When I came to Congress, he invited me into his office for a cup of 
coffee. It is not bad to have the Speaker, the third most powerful 
person in the country, call you by your first name and, when we are 
back home, to say to others in my district that I am his friend.
  As a freshman, I learned, as most of you know, that seniority is very 
important in this House. Well, I said, I was a freshman, so that equals 
no seniority. Nelson Mandela died, and I learned that there was going 
to be an opportunity for Members to go to South Africa to Nelson 
Mandela's funeral. Wow. Yes, I wanted to go.
  All my colleagues said: There is one problem, Congresswoman Beatty, 
and that word again appeared--seniority. I will always be so grateful 
for Speaker Boehner approving the recommendation from Leader Pelosi. 
Yes, I went to Nelson Mandela's funeral.
  Tonight I am proud to join my colleagues in saying that Speaker 
Boehner served as a great statesman for

[[Page 16608]]

Ohio and the Nation. The great State of Ohio has benefited greatly 
through his leadership.
  While there are things, certainly, that we have not agreed on, we 
have always managed to not be disagreeable in a way that was negative 
for Ohio or the Nation. But there were some things that we did agree 
on.
  There is one quote that was a very proud moment for me, as a Member 
of this United States Congress, when Speaker Boehner said: ``It was 
beginning to become a political football, and I just thought it was 
time to stop. Let's have a discussion with responsible Members of 
Congress to try to bring some resolution to this.''
  But in his own view, Mr. Speaker, there should be no debate because, 
he said: ``In my view, the issue is settled. The flag should be gone.'' 
And, Mr. Speaker, that flag was the Confederate flag. So I say thank 
you, Mr. Boehner, for that.
  Thank you, Congresswoman Kaptur, for a recent article that I read 
that you wrote about Speaker Boehner. I think you said it all when you 
talked about his life here in Congress, and you said we all have 
benefited in our State from the great work that he has done. I agree 
with you.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for always taking my calls. Thank you for 
always having an open door. I leave you with these words, the words of 
Nelson Mandela: ``It always seems impossible until it is done.''
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Job well done.
  Mr. CHABOT. Reclaiming my time, the gentlewoman referred to having 
been given the opportunity to attend the funeral of the great Nelson 
Mandela. The Speaker actually made it possible for me to also go on a 
bipartisan delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II, and it was 
one of those experiences that is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It 
was a sad occasion, but nonetheless one that was very inspirational for 
me and a lot of other Members who went as well.
  I now yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stivers).
  Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Chabot for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a fellow Ohioan who has done so 
much for our country. I didn't really know John Boehner when 
Congresswoman Deborah Pryce, my predecessor once removed, decided to 
retire. He started calling me, and I got to know him a little better. 
He convinced me to run for Congress to make America better and make 
America stronger.
  The other thing I will always remember is he was very honest during 
that recruiting process. I remember talking to him about, ``Gee, I 
would like to get on the Committee on Energy and Commerce.'' He took a 
big drag of his cigarette, and he said, ``Not gonna happen.''
  He never misled me. He never said anything that he didn't back up. I 
will always respect that about him and the way he has acted his entire 
time for 25 years in this House. I know he will be happy to spend more 
time with the things and people that are important to him. He is going 
to spend more time with his wife, Debbie, his children, his brandnew 
grandson, and of course he will spend more time with his golf clubs and 
probably a bottle of wine.
  I think it goes without saying that we will miss John Boehner more 
than he will miss us. He has always been the responsible adult in the 
room. He has always done what is right for America, regardless of the 
personal cost. He has a lasting legacy in this institution, from simple 
traditions like the Boehner birthday song that we will sing in this 
institution for a very long time to policy matters, like looking after 
at-risk kids, both here in Washington and all around this country, 
enacting meaningful entitlement reform, and banning earmarks.
  He also had political accomplishments: winning back a Republican 
majority in the House and growing that majority. His legacy will be 
lasting indeed. I am a better Representative for having worked with 
John Boehner.
  They say Washington changes you, but after 25 years in Washington, 
D.C., John Boehner has never forgotten where he came from. His roots 
are that big, Catholic family, running a local bar in a blue collar 
part of Cincinnati. That background grounded him and gave him the right 
perspective on both life and public service. Losing John Boehner is bad 
for Ohio, and I believe it is bad for America, but it is probably good 
for John Boehner.
  Speaker Boehner, on behalf of my constituents, let me say thank you 
for your selfless service to this country, and good luck in the future. 
Please don't be a stranger.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman. Does the gentlewoman from Ohio 
have any further speakers?
  Ms. KAPTUR. Congressman Chabot, I have no further speakers, but I 
would just like to add this if I might.
  Mr. CHABOT. Absolutely.
  Ms. KAPTUR. That is, the circumstances that have led to Speaker 
Boehner's decision to depart this Chamber trouble me a great deal. 
History will report on everything that happened that has led to this 
point, but how sad is it that someone with that experience from our 
part of the country--the Great Lakes region doesn't have all that much 
here in terms of leadership positions--would do this for what he views 
as the good of the country because certain individuals seem not to be 
able to work as a team. If we can't work as a team, team America, then 
I think that really harms our entire Republic.
  Speaking as the dean of our delegation, Ohio will lose a great deal 
by the Speaker's departure. Many times I have said in my career: How is 
it that the State that produced John Glenn and Neil Armstrong to both 
orbit the globe and land on the Moon, why do we have the smallest NASA 
center in the country?
  There are real regional pulls inside this institution, and John 
Boehner put his sword in the ground for our Great Lakes region. I worry 
a lot about what this means for us as other parts of the country weigh 
in more heavily.
  As an Ohioan, understanding that there are so many things we don't 
have from this Federal Government, we don't have a major research 
center from the national energy labs; other than Wright-Patterson Air 
Force Base, we really don't have bases, as other parts of the country 
do, to the same extent, when you look at the Federal establishment in 
Ohio; if you look at the National Park Service and what it does west of 
the Mississippi versus what it does east of the Mississippi. We 
actually had a voice for our part of the country, so I take his leaving 
very personally in terms of what it means to us as a State.
  I want to thank him for allowing the Ukraine Freedom Support Act to 
move to the floor late last year. It was one of the last agenda items 
of that session of Congress. I know, without his intervention, we 
wouldn't be where we are today in terms of trying to be relevant at 
liberty's edge.
  I thank him for his service. As third in line to the Presidency of 
this country, most Americans will never know some of the burden that he 
bore, with knowledge that most of the rest of this Chamber does not 
have, but for certain he did, and he held that close to himself.
  I thank him for all those quiet moments when perhaps the burden 
seemed almost overwhelming. I thank him for his service. I assume he 
will continue to be involved in some ways in the days and years ahead. 
He loves politics too much to just walk away from it.
  I thank him on behalf of the people of Ohio for representing our 
State, our region, in his dutiful service to the United States of 
America.
  Thank you, Speaker John Boehner, from Ohio, from the heartland.
  I thank Congressman Chabot, the dean on his side of the aisle, for 
yielding to me.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for 
participating this evening. We really do appreciate making this a 
bipartisan event.
  Although our next speaker is not from Ohio, she is the next best 
thing, the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), and that is no 
offense to our next door neighbors in Kentucky or Pennsylvania.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
from

[[Page 16609]]

Ohio for spearheading this Special Order tonight and giving us the 
opportunity to honor Speaker Boehner.
  Part of his legacy and what I was told about Speaker Boehner before I 
arrived here was his incredible honesty--honesty to all of us with whom 
he worked and honesty to the American people--his humility, his sense 
of humor, and his incredible patience.
  I remember first coming into Congress in the 113th Congress and, in 
fact, it was the Speaker's wife, Debbie Boehner, who became the mentor 
to my husband, as a new congressional spouse. I was, quite frankly, a 
bit terrified of the thought of my husband being assigned to the 
Speaker's wife. However, they were perfect. They both enjoy an 
incredible sense of humor, but they also ground us, and they remind us 
what is important in life. I would like to thank Debbie Boehner for 
sharing her husband and for sharing the father of their children with 
the country all of these many years.
  What the Speaker shared with all of us is he shared and taught all of 
us about the importance of this institution, its rich history, and how 
to serve the people of our districts with distinction and honor. 
Although I am a Miami of Ohio grad, I have to admit, I enjoyed a common 
bond with the Speaker in that my daughter played soccer for Xavier 
University, and so it was fun to share that love of Xavier University 
with him as well.
  I would like to mention probably his last codel, or his last 
congressional trip, and I was very honored to be asked to be a part of 
it. It was this summer, and it was a codel to Eastern Europe, to 
Lithuania, Finland, and Poland, most notably, and we ended in Ireland. 
However, while we were in Eastern Europe, it was because of Speaker 
Boehner that he showed the Eastern European countries how vitally 
important it was that we stand with our allies against Russian 
aggression.
  It was an honor to be a part of that trip because he demonstrated 
America's leadership and commitment to freedom and ensuring that we 
would stand with our friends and allies. It was an incredible learning 
experience for me and the others on the trip.
  When I think about the Speaker, he probably has worked harder than 
anyone I will ever know to protect this institution. Although it is not 
for much longer that we will call him Mr. Speaker, I will always admire 
his steadfast commitment to protecting the American public and serving 
our country.
  I must share that one of the unique aspects of his leadership and 
that of his terrific team which has surrounded him is they have done an 
incredible job sharing his experience as leader with the American 
public. Whether we have watched on YouTube or other ways a morning trip 
to the diner for breakfast, fixing his lawnmower at home, carving the 
turkey or, most importantly to him, the historic visit from Pope 
Francis, he and his staff have done an excellent job of giving the 
American public and the American people an inside look at the life of 
John Boehner, the Speaker of the House.
  He embodies the qualities of an American patriot. It has truly been 
an honor to serve with him in the United States Congress. I am now so 
pleased he will have the opportunity to enjoy being a new grandfather 
and enjoy his children, Lindsay and Tricia, and of course his wife, 
Debbie. He will very much be missed.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your commitment to our country.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind words. She mentioned 
she is a Miami of Ohio graduate. I would just note for the Record that 
our son Randy is a graduate, and my younger brother Dave is also a 
graduate of that great college. I almost went there myself.
  I now yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Curbelo).
  Mr. CURBELO of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
thank the Ohio delegation for giving us this very special opportunity 
to honor a man whom we all admire and appreciate.
  I am not from Ohio. I am from the State of Florida. I haven't known 
John Boehner nearly as long as many of my friends who have spoken here 
tonight. However, I can say this, Mr. Speaker: For many of us who are 
still relatively new here in Congress, for many of us who represent a 
younger generation of leaders who have come here to serve, John Boehner 
is a great example--an example of decency, of sincerity, of integrity, 
and of profound caring for every single American and for all of us.

                              {time}  1930

  I am moved by John Boehner's work in education, which is clearly one 
of his great passions. As a school board member in Miami-Dade County, I 
saw firsthand the difference that John Boehner's work in education made 
in the lives of children, oftentimes poor children, low-income 
children, who would not be counted had John Boehner not done such 
wonderful work in the Committee on Education and the Workforce when he 
was chairman.
  The legislation that John Boehner and those who served with him 
advanced made sure that every child counted and that no child would be 
counted out, no matter where they lived, the color of their skin, or 
where their parents came from.
  So today I just say thank you to John Boehner. I say thank you to his 
family.
  Like the Speaker, I am the father of two girls. I know exactly how 
much they have sacrificed for him, for his colleagues, and for our 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a better man for having served with John Boehner. 
This institution is a better institution for his service. Tonight we 
and the American people thank him.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman very much.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. 
Radewagen).
  Mrs. RADEWAGEN. I thank the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the unwavering dedication and 
years of exemplary service of House Speaker John Boehner to our great 
Nation.
  As the Delegate to the United States of House of Representatives from 
American Samoa, I am always honored to address the Chamber, even more 
so today, so that I can acknowledge the sincerity, kindness, and years 
of hard work of a man that I have known for over 20 years.
  As a man who has gone from the humble beginnings of a night janitor 
to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mr. 
Boehner is the perfect example of the American Dream fulfilled. It 
demonstrates that, with hard work, dedication, and a strong moral 
compass, one can achieve great things in our great Nation.
  From the humble beginnings of a child of 12 who used to sweep floors 
to second in line to the Presidency, not too shabby.
  I believe that the fact that he rose from very humble beginnings to 
the Speakership has made him the man and leader he is today, one who 
always made even the lowest ranking freshman feel at ease and included, 
and I thank him for that.
  While we all know of the many achievements that this man of the 
people has accomplished during his illustrious career and recognize his 
unquestionable dedication to our Nation, many do not realize just how 
kind, modest, and caring he truly is as a person.
  During a recent GOP retreat, I was able to spend a few minutes with 
the Speaker--or should I say my granddaughter Ella did. I had brought 
Ella, who is 2 years old, with me to the retreat so that I could spend 
some time with her during the breaks in between the activities.
  Well, let me tell you, Ella was mesmerized by the Speaker, and I am 
pretty sure he felt the same. They had a conversation that only the two 
of them seemed to understand, and Ella was just fascinated with this 
very funny man who was so kindly entertaining her. This short, but 
memorable, interaction is one that I know Ella will be proud to recount 
when she is older.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House rise and join me in saluting the 
53rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, John 
Boehner, and also thank him for his unwavering

[[Page 16610]]

dedication and outstanding service to our grateful Nation.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentlewoman for her kind and inspiring 
remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. 
Comstock).
  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Speaker John 
Boehner, a hardworking, dedicated gentleman who has served this 
institution with dignity and diligence.
  His perseverance in this role has been a true service to the Nation. 
He is a class act whose respect for the institution and his love of 
country are extraordinary.
  I have been privileged to work with Speaker Boehner, first when I was 
a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill back in the nineties, when I 
worked for my predecessor. At that time, Republicans took a historic 
majority in 1994 and Speaker Boehner then was in the leadership.
  Then this year I was able to join, as a Member of Congress myself, 
with the largest Republican majority since the 1920s and serve with 
Speaker Boehner once again.
  I know from that experience, both as a staffer as well as a Member, 
the incredible, great treatment he always gave his staff, how we all 
know the legendary ``Boehnerland,'' and how he has always been so 
wonderful to work with. All of them continue to keep in touch with him.
  Speaker Boehner has taken on each of these tasks, when he was a 
Member, when he was a Gang of Seven member, when he was a chairman, 
when he was a leader, and now a Speaker, with an energy and 
willingness, regardless of the headwinds.
  He is an honorable man of faith and conviction who has always served 
his constituents and the American people, particularly children and the 
most vulnerable, in a faithful and consistent way.
  I particularly appreciate the Speaker bringing this year the Prime 
Minister of Israel, Mr. Netanyahu, and Pope Francis to this body to 
make historic addresses to Congress, addresses that we will always 
remember and that were just inspiring this year. I so appreciate his 
leadership in insisting on having us hear from those wonderful leaders 
of the world.
  He has always served as a patriot committed to our founding 
principles. He will be missed by many on both sides of the aisle, 
although I know he welcomes this new chapter in his life. I am very 
happy that he will be able to spend more time with his beloved new 
grandson and his family.
  I thank Speaker Boehner for his service to this country, and I wish 
him well again as he begins this new chapter in his life.
  Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentlewoman very much for her remarks this 
evening, and I thank all the Members who came here, on both sides of 
the aisle, to speak.
  I want to particularly thank Ms. Kaptur for participating in this 
tribute to Speaker Boehner so that it was truly bipartisan this 
evening.
  I have some concluding remarks. I don't think there are any more 
speakers following that. I think we have just about enough time.
  I already said a few things about John, but let me continue. John 
Boehner was born in 1949. He was the second of 12 children, 9 boys and 
3 girls. His parents, Mary Anne and Earl Henry Boehner, ran the family 
business, Andy's Bar, in Carthage, which is a neighborhood in my 
district. John's grandfather opened that bar back in 1938.
  John grew up in a two-bedroom house in Reading, with John sharing one 
bedroom with three brothers, while his sister had the other. His 
parents slept on the pull-out couch.
  Although his father would later build a three-bedroom addition to the 
house, John still had to share a single bathroom with his 11 brothers 
and sisters. So he learned how to manage conflict early in his life.
  Also, as the second oldest, he had to help his parents out not only 
around the house with his younger brothers and sisters, but also with 
the family business.
  At age 8, John began to work at Andy's Bar, starting by mopping 
floors. Later he would wait on tables. In doing so, John learned the 
value of a dollar and the importance of hard work.
  John attended Moeller High School, as we have mentioned a few times 
this evening, and he played linebacker for future Notre Dame Head Coach 
Gerry Faust at Moeller. Playing in the GCL for Coach Faust, John 
learned that you can achieve any goal in life if you are willing to 
work hard and to make the necessary sacrifices.
  As hard as it is for a LaSalle Lancer like myself to praise a Moeller 
Crusader, it is clear to me that John learned that lesson well, and his 
life and career are a testament to that message.
  After graduating from high school in 1968, John enlisted in the Navy 
while America was heavily involved in Vietnam. He was later honorably 
discharged due to a bad back, an injury he had suffered as a teenager 
working at the family bar.
  After holding several entry-level jobs, John then set his sights on a 
college degree. With the encouragement of William Smith, a professor at 
Xavier University and high school football referee who was mentoring 
him about refereeing local sports, John decided to attend Xavier.
  Throughout his time at Xavier University, John juggled numerous jobs, 
although his primary job was as a janitor for a Reading company. His 
hard work paid off, and he graduated from Xavier in 1977, becoming the 
first person in his family to graduate from college.
  But his work as a janitor had another more important reward. He met 
his wife of 42 years, Debbie, who worked in the accounting department 
at the same company. They would marry in 1973, the same year my wife 
and I were married, and raised two daughters, Lindsay and Tricia, and 
now a grandson, Alistair. My wife and I also have two children, a 
daughter and a son, and one grandson so far.
  After graduating from Xavier, John was hired as a salesman for a 
small packaging and plastics company. Through hard work and 
determination, he steadily worked his way up the company ladder, 
ultimately serving as president of the company. He resigned from that 
position when he was elected to Congress in 1990.
  In that job, John learned what it takes to survive in a small 
business and he learned all too well how difficult it is for small 
businesses to deal with the regulatory and tax burdens imposed by the 
government. He brought that understanding to Washington, where he has 
fought for smaller, less-intrusive government.
  John got his start in politics by getting involved in his local 
homeowners association. That experience led him to run for Township 
Trustee in Butler County's Union Township, now called West Chester 
Township, in part, to distinguish it from 27 other Union Townships in 
Ohio, including one in my district, where he served from 1981 to 1984.
  In 1984, he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, where 
Republicans were heavily outnumbered by Democrats at the time. In 1990, 
he won a four-person Republican primary for Ohio's Eighth Congressional 
District.
  Although his victory was somewhat surprising in local political 
circles at the time, looking back now, it is more surprising that he 
wasn't the favorite.
  Upon his election to Congress, John became a member of the so-called 
Gang of Seven, a group of Republicans who regularly battled with 
congressional leadership. Sounds like something around here in modern 
times.
  The Gang of Seven played a pivotal role in exposing the House Bank 
and post office scandals.
  Early on in his congressional career, John also worked closely with 
Newt Gingrich and helped to draft the Contract with America, a set of 
principles to which Republican candidates from all over the country 
agreed, including myself.
  It was those principles that propelled the Republican wave in 1994 
and led to the first Republican majority in the House of 
Representatives in 40 years.
  Throughout his time in Congress, John has advocated commonsense 
reforms in the House and in the broader

[[Page 16611]]

government. In addition to fighting to close the House Bank as part of 
the Contract with America, he also pushed for the requirement that 
Congress live by the same rules it imposes on the rest of the American 
people.
  Later, to help promote transparency in the appropriations process, 
John enacted the first ban on earmarks in the House.
  Although he will be remembered for many things, these reforms may 
have the most enduring impact on the credibility and integrity of this 
institution, the House of Representatives, the people's House.
  However, knowing John like I know him, I would guess that his fondest 
memory will be Pope Francis' visit to Washington and his address to 
Congress right here in this very room. It was truly a historic and 
monumental event, as Pope Francis became the first sitting pontiff to 
address a joint session of Congress ever.
  Millions of Americans, myself included, were moved by the Pope's 
message about a spiritual path to a better future, particularly his 
call on all of us to strengthen our families, protect the sanctity of 
life, and help the less fortunate among us.
  It was an amazing moment for this House and this country, and it 
wouldn't have been possible without Speaker John Boehner. I know it has 
been one of his top goals since he was in the Republican leadership 
back in the nineties, and I think it is a fitting finale to a very 
distinguished career.
  Ultimately, I hope that John Boehner is remembered like he would say, 
as a regular guy who rose from humble beginnings to become the leader 
of the people's House, as a leader who never stopped believing that the 
American people can overcome any obstacles, and as a crusader who 
fought for a smaller, less-intrusive, and more accountable government.
  Of course, I will always remember him as a friend.
  Thank you, John, for your service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________