[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 15819]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HARDY MYERS: AN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVANT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, Oregon lost an extraordinary statesman 
last week with the passing of Hardy Myers. He was the epitome of a 
public servant.
  Hardy's public service career had an auspicious beginning as 
president of the Portland City Planning Commission in 1973, where he 
guided the development and approval of the downtown plan that didn't 
just win awards, it set Portland on a path to a revitalized central 
city.
  He was elected to the State legislature in 1974, where I was 
privileged to work with him for two sessions. We served on the revenue 
committee together, and I was on the judiciary committee which he 
chaired with remarkable precision and productivity. The same skill and 
civility that was his hallmark led to his being elected for two terms 
as speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, providing steady, 
thoughtful leadership during trying times for our State. Leaving the 
legislature, Hardy was not content to merely continue his legal 
practice at Stoel Rives, where he was for over 30 years.
  The list of his volunteer boards and commissions that he combined 
with his work and elected service is too extensive to mention in full. 
His contributions, usually in a leadership role, included criminal 
justice, sentencing guidelines, transportation, and government reform.
  Hardy capped off his career by serving 12 years as Oregon's attorney 
general, with a side trip as elected member of Portland's metropolitan, 
popularly elected regional government. As attorney general, he held the 
office with distinction, serving with great skill and commanding the 
respect and admiration of the State's lawyers. He gained national 
recognition from his fellow attorneys general for distinguished 
leadership.
  I had the pleasure to hear Hardy argue and win a case before the 
United States Supreme Court. During his tenure as attorney general, 
Oregon won all six cases it brought to our Nation's highest court. He 
was a superb legislator and legal scholar who successfully ran for 
office and won nine tough campaigns.
  Hardy never really got the attention his work warranted due to his 
thoughtful, understated service and personality, but all who served and 
worked with him were profoundly impressed with his professionalism, 
intellect, temperament, and quality of service.
  This, of course, was just the public side of Hardy. He was gracious, 
warm, funny, and deeply and passionately committed to his family, his 
church, and his community. I only wish that I could be there in person 
Wednesday morning as friends, family, and admirers gather at All Saints 
Church--a place that played a central role in the Myers family--to pay 
tribute to this remarkable man.
  Our hearts and sympathy go out to Mary Ann; his three sons, Hardy 
III, Chris, and Jon; his 10 grandchildren; and his great grandchild. We 
thank them for sharing this remarkable citizen with all Oregonians.
  Our State is better as a result of his extraordinary service as were 
all of us who were privileged to know him as friend.

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