[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10270]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO GEORGE VOINOVICH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 5, 2016

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a fellow public 
servant from Ohio, George Voinovich, who passed away Sunday, June 12th.
  George was a pillar of the Republican Party, though he occasionally 
opposed the establishment in the name of good governance. His intellect 
was unsurpassed, helping him to become a two-term Governor of Ohio, and 
later to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.
  Among his numerous achievements, George was proudest of passing the 
global anti-Semitism bill, efforts to expand NATO, and a bill to 
protect intellectual property. These accomplishments are a testament to 
his character, one which helped restore the city of Cleveland in the 
late 1970s.
  In addition to political accomplishments, George prided himself on 
his frugality, in both his public life and private life. Throughout his 
governorship, his mantra was ``working harder and smarter, doing more 
with less.'' Occasionally this mantra put George in juxtaposition with 
his party, such as when he pushed a tax increase that would help 
stabilize the state's finances.
  Born in Cleveland on July 15, 1936, George Victor Voinovich was the 
son of Eastern European immigrants. His culture would strongly shape 
the man he became, endearing him to the ethnic communities that thrived 
in the Cleveland area.
  Sadly, tragedy would also shape his life in later years, after the 
death of his youngest daughter, Molly, when she was 9 years old. George 
readily acknowledged this incident as one that elicited a greater depth 
of feeling and understanding, all of which he reflected back on his 
work in public service.
  George passed away suddenly on Sunday, in the company of his wife, 
Janet. He had just made a public appearance the Friday before at the 
25th Slovenian Independence Day event at Cleveland City Hall, and was a 
delegate to the upcoming Republican National Convention.
  George is survived by his loving wife and three children. We offer 
them our prayers and hope that they find comfort in the wonderful 
memories of our dear friend and colleague, George, who will be 
remembered with affection and gratitude for his probing intellect, kind 
heart, and utter dedication to our wonderful state of Ohio.

                          ____________________