[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5675]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           MOMENT OF SILENCE HONORING JOHN PAUL HAMMERSCHMIDT

  (Mr. WOMACK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WOMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated 
public servant, a respected businessman, a decorated combat veteran, 
and a trusted mentor, former Third District of Arkansas Representative 
John Paul Hammerschmidt, who passed away on April 1 at the age of 92.
  John Paul believed that we are all put on Earth to serve others. This 
principle guided him even from an early age. After graduating from 
Harrison High School at 15 and spending a year at the Citadel, he 
forwent West Point and instead joined the Army Air Corps. As a second 
lieutenant during World War II, he piloted an incredible 217 combat 
missions and earned multiple medals and decorations.
  After the war, he returned to his home in Harrison to run the family 
lumber business, and he continued his service as a member of the U.S. 
Air Force Reserve until 1960. It was during this time that he also 
became engaged with local politics, and in 1966 he became the first 
Republican in 93 years to have been elected to serve Arkansas in the 
U.S. House of Representatives.
  During his 26-year tenure in Congress, John Paul never spent a single 
day in the majority, but he didn't let that stand in the way of serving 
his constituents to the best of his ability. He worked with all 
colleagues--Democrat and Republican alike--to our State's benefit and 
is responsible for bringing the critical transportation infrastructure 
to northwest Arkansas that enabled its explosive growth.
  However, he will truly be remembered for defining the gold standard 
of constituent service. Simply put, no one did it better than John 
Paul. Every day he prayed to our Lord for the strength to overcome 
pride and self-concern in order to always be mindful of the needs of 
others. Looking back on his life, I would say he was blessed with just 
that, and for it our State and our Nation will be forever grateful to 
him for his service.
  Madam Speaker, on Saturday, John Paul Hammerschmidt will be laid to 
rest. As we prepare to say our final good-byes, I would ask for a 
moment of silence to honor one of the finest examples of statesmen this 
Chamber has ever seen.
  Rest in peace, John Paul.

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