[Deschler-Brown Precedents, Volume 17, Chapters 34 - 40]
[Ch. 37. Resignations]
[D. Resignations of Officers, Officials, and Employees]
[Â§ 10. Tributes]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[Page 515-557]
 
                               CHAPTER 37
 
                              Resignations
 
         D. Resignations of Officers, Officials, and Employees
 
Sec. 10. Tributes

    Resignation of a congressional officer or employee may be announced 
by a Member from the floor, with the opportunity taken to offer 
tribute.                          -------------------

To the Chaplain

Sec. 10.1 On his retirement as Chaplain of the House, Dr. James Shera 
    Montgomery was elected Chaplain Emeritus and paid tribute.

    On Jan. 30, 1950,(1) the House by resolution appointed 
Dr. James Shera Montgomery, Chaplain of the House from Apr. 11, 1921, 
to that date, as Chaplain Emeritus.
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 1. 96 Cong. Rec. 1095-97, 81st Cong. 2d Sess.
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        Mr. [John W.] McCORMACK [of Massachusetts]. Mr. Speaker, I 
    offer a resolution (H. Res. 453).
        The Clerk read as follows:
            Resolved, That immediately following his resignation as 
        Chaplain of the House of Representatives, James Shera 
        Montgomery be, and he is hereby, appointed Chaplain emeritus of 
        the House of Representatives, with salary at the basic rate of

[[Page 516]]

        $2,350 per annum, payable monthly, to be paid out of the 
        contingent fund of the House until otherwise provided by law.

    Following action on this resolution, Members spoke in tribute.
    The Speaker then laid before the House the following communication, 
which was read by the Clerk:
                                                 January 30, 1950.

                                                   Hon. Sam Rayburn,

                                           House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        My Dear Speaker: It is with regret that I submit herewith my 
    resignation as Chaplain of the House, to take effect February 1. 
    Due to the condition of my health this becomes necessary.
        Allow me to assure you of my great appreciation of our long 
    associations through these years; they will remain in my grateful 
    memory while time passes by. The Congress will always be very near 
    to my heart; may generous blessings of a loving Father abide with 
    each and every Member, officer, and employee is my prayer.

              Ever faithfully yours,

                                           James Shera Montgomery.

        The SPEAKER. Without objection, the resignation is accepted.
        There was no objection.

Sec. 10.2 On his retirement after 20 years as Chaplain of the House, 
    Dr. James David Ford was paid tribute by resolution electing him as 
    Chaplain Emeritus.

    On Nov. 10, 1999,(1) the House adopted a resolution 
electing as Chaplain Emeritus Dr. James David Ford, who was retiring 
after 20 years service as House Chaplain.
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 1. 145 Cong. Rec. 29493-96, 106th Cong. 1st Sess.
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    The resolution was read, as follows:

                                  H. Res. 373

            Resolved, That immediately following his resignation as 
        Chaplain of the House of Representatives and in recognition of 
        the length of his devoted service to the House, Reverend James 
        David Ford be, and he is hereby, appointed Chaplain emeritus of 
        the House of Representatives.

        The resolution was agreed to.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

To the Parliamentarian

Sec. 10.3 Lewis Deschler was paid tribute on the occasion of his 
    retirement as Parliamentarian of the House.

    On June 27, 1974,(1) Speaker Carl Albert, of Oklahoma, 
laid before the House the resignation of its Parliamentarian, the 
Honorable Lewis Deschler, effective June 30, 1974, after more than 49 
years of congressional service. The House then adopted a resolution 
expressing its gratitude for Mr.

[[Page 517]]

Deschler's long service. The Speaker, Majority Leader Thomas P. 
O'Neill, Jr., of Massachusetts, Minority Leader John J. Rhodes, of 
Arizona, and other Members spoke from the floor in tribute. During his 
remarks, the Speaker inserted in the Congressional Record a letter to 
Mr. Deschler from the Vice President of the United States, the former 
House Minority Leader, Gerald R. Ford, of Michigan.
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 1. 120 Cong. Rec. 21590-95, 93d Cong. 2d Sess.
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    The proceedings were as follows:

        The SPEAKER laid before the House the following communication 
    from the Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives:
                                                 Washington, D.C.,

                                                    June 27, 1974.

                                                   Hon. Carl Albert,

                              The Speaker, House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Dear Mr. Speaker: I hereby submit my resignation as 
    Parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives 
    effective at the close of June 30, 1974.
        I am in my fiftieth year of service for the House of 
    Representatives, having come originally to this body as an employee 
    in 1925. In 1927 I became Assistant Parliamentarian and in January, 
    1928, I began my service as Parliamentarian of the House of 
    Representatives, service which has covered a period of more than 
    forty-six years.
        This has been a wonderful experience, and I consider it to be 
    one of the great privileges which God has granted me that I have 
    served with nine Speakers: Honorable Nicholas Longworth, Honorable 
    John Garner, Honorable Henry Rainey, Honorable Joseph Byrns, 
    Honorable William Bankhead, Honorable Sam Rayburn, Honorable Joseph 
    Martin, Honorable John McCormack, Honorable Carl Albert.
        No one ever becomes Speaker of the House of Representatives 
    unless he has great intelligence and ability and high probity, and 
    unless he commands the respect of his colleagues. All of these nine 
    Speakers were eminently qualified to follow and enhance the 
    traditions of the House of Representatives. Their wisdom, fairness, 
    and nonpartisanship in filling the high post of Speaker is shown by 
    the fact that from the beginning of the 70th Congress, in 1927, 
    there have been only eight appeals from decisions of the Speaker, 
    and in seven of these eight cases the decision of the Speaker was 
    sustained by the House of Representatives. On the one occasion when 
    the Speaker was overruled (on February 21, 1931), the House was 
    actually following the wishes of Speaker Longworth, for he in 
    effect appealed to the House to overrule him in order to correct 
    what he regarded as an erroneous precedent.
        The challenges presented by my work as Parliamentarian have 
    been heightened by the caliber of the men and women who have served 
    in the House of Representatives while I have been associated with 
    it. Truly representing all parts of the country and all their 
    constituents, their individual and collective wisdom and their 
    unceasing dedication to this country and its Constitution have 
    always been a source of inspiration to me. I shall always treasure 
    the many deep and

[[Page 518]]

    abiding friendships which have developed through my associations 
    with the Members over these years.
        Along the way too it has been a pleasure to associate with the 
    talented and loyal officers and employees of this body, and I am 
    deeply grateful for the close friendships and wonderful working 
    relationships which we have had.
        I shall cherish the firm and lasting friendships I have had, 
    Mr. Speaker, with the ladies and gentlemen of the media. In my 
    almost daily associations with them over many years, I have come to 
    know and respect their diligent efforts to report the news. I am 
    particularly grateful for the way in which they honored my requests 
    to protect my anonymity on those many occasions when they discussed 
    with me some of the complicated legislative problems which 
    confronted us from time to time.
        The time comes in each man's life when he must determine what 
    his future may be under God's guidance and direction. I am 
    approaching my seventieth year, and my doctors have strongly 
    suggested that I retire from my duties as Parliamentarian. It is my 
    hope, Mr. Speaker, that in your good judgment you will find a 
    position where I may continue to advise and consult with you and 
    the new Parliamentarian, as well as continuing the important work 
    in which I am presently engaged of compiling the Precedents of the 
    House of Representatives.
        I wish to thank you, Mr. Speaker, and through you all the 
    Members of this great body present and past, for your many 
    kindnesses and considerations.
        Most respectfully submitted.

                                                   Lewis Deschler,

                                   Parliamentarian, U.S. House of 
     Representatives.                          -------------------

                RETIREMENT OF LEWIS DESCHLER AS PARLIAMENTARIAN

        Mr. O'NEILL. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the minority leader, the 
    gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Rhodes) and myself, I offer a 
    resolution (H. Res. 1202) and ask for its immediate consideration.
        The Clerk read the resolution as follows:

                                  H. Res. 1202

            Resolved, That the House of Representatives hereby tenders 
        its gratitude and expresses its abiding affection to Lewis 
        Deschler upon his retirement after more than 46 years as its 
        Parliamentarian, and recognizes that his unsurpassed service 
        and dedication to the House, his impartial counsel to Speaker 
        and Members, and his exceptional contribution to the operation 
        of its rules have immeasurably benefited this institution of 
        government.

    The Speaker stepped down from the Chair for one of the many 
tributes to Mr. Deschler and inserted in the Congressional Record a 
letter to Mr. Deschler from the Vice President of the United States:
                                               The Vice President,

                                        Washington, June 27, 1974.

                                                Hon. Lewis Deschler,

                          Parliamentarian, House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Dear Lew: It was with a sense of sadness that I learned you had 
    decided to leave the place that has been a home to you for nearly 
    half a century.
        When I first came to the House you had already become a living 
    legend in

[[Page 519]]

    a sanctuary of great and noble men. It was not difficult, 
    especially for a freshman Congressman, to learn why you were so 
    highly regarded.
        Suffice it to say, Lew, that you have served the House 
    Members--from the most junior to the most senior--with a degree of 
    professionalism and dignity that has been, and will continue to be, 
    an inspiration to us all.
        Warmest best wishes for many years of happiness.

              Sincerely,

                                                   Gerald R. Ford.

Sec. 10.4 William Holmes Brown was paid tribute on the occasion of his 
    retirement as Parliamentarian of the House.

    On Sept. 20, 1994,(1) Speaker Thomas S. Foley, of 
Washington, laid before the House the resignation of its 
Parliamentarian, the Honorable William Holmes Brown, effective Sept. 
15, 1994, after 36 years of Congressional service (40 years of Federal 
service including four years of active duty in the United States Navy). 
After the letter of resignation was read and (ostensibly) accepted, 
Minority Leader Robert H. Michel, of Illinois, and the Speaker each 
spoke from the well in tribute.
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 1. 140 Cong. Rec. 24850-52, 103d Cong. 2d Sess.
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        The SPEAKER laid before the House the following communication 
    from the Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives, which was 
    read:

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,

                                              The Speaker's Rooms,

                                  Washington, DC, August 20, 1994.

                                               Hon. Thomas S. Foley,

                             Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives,

                                                     Washington, DC.

            Dear Mr. Speaker: In March of this year, I completed my 
        thirty-sixth year with the House of Representatives. In July, I 
        completed my twentieth year as Parliamentarian.
            In the past few months, circumstances, both personal and 
        professional, have focused my attention on retirement. It has 
        been a difficult decision to reach, but I have concluded that 
        it's time for a change.
            The office which I have been privileged to hold continues 
        to be both challenging and rewarding. It is fascinating to 
        encounter--almost daily--fresh interpretations of rules and 
        bill language which require constant evaluation of yesterday's 
        assumptions and conclusions. The House changes from year to 
        year, with new Members and staff and circumstances always 
        reshaping this institution; what does not change is the 
        reservoir of intellect and inventiveness which characterizes 
        those who work in the legislative branch of our government. 
        Daily interaction with such talented people makes the Congress 
        a uniquely fascinating place to work.
            I could not have done this job without a lot of help, 
        without the love and support of my family, who have learned to 
        live with long hours and erratic schedules; without the 
        teamwork at the rostrum and in all the support offices of the 
        House; without the reservoir of personal commitment and 
        professional strength from my colleagues in the Office. Among 
        the Deputy and the assistant parliamentarians there is a wealth 
        of experience and talent. Their accumulated service totals over 
        80 years. Each is dedicated to the proposition that the rules 
        of this great institution should be applied

[[Page 520]]

        and enforced without political considerations. All are open to 
        Members and staff with respect to the rules and precedents 
        which govern and guide the deliberations of the House and its 
        committees. They are all exemplary public servants; they can 
        and will continue to carry out the responsibilities of the 
        Office in a manner which reflects the best traditions of the 
        House. We share a lasting bond and I will miss these friends 
        whom I admire and care for so deeply.
            I owe a great debt of gratitude to all the Speakers whom I 
        have been fortunate to know: Sam Rayburn, who first appointed 
        me as an assistant parliamentarian on the recommendation of my 
        legendary predecessor as Parliamentarian, Lewis Deschler; John 
        McCormack, who shared his anecdotes and love of the House 
        during long evening conversations in the Speaker's Rooms; Carl 
        Albert, who had faith enough in my abilities to appoint me as 
        Parliamentarian during a very tumultuous time in the history of 
        the House and has continued to be a valued mentor since his 
        retirement; Thomas P. `Tip' O'Neill, whose good humor and 
        warmth toward me survived some parliamentary decisions which he 
        must have found vexing; Jim Wright, whose eloquence and courage 
        are unflagging. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I must say how much I 
        have valued your friendship and support. You have always been 
        sensitive and faithful to the distinctions between political 
        and parliamentary decisions and your gavel has been both firm 
        and impartial. The opportunities you have given me to interact 
        with other parliamentary institutions, particularly with the 
        newly emerging democratic republics in eastern Europe, have 
        revealed new horizons which I hope to explore more fully in the 
        future. Programs to encourage and foster parliamentary 
        democracy in that area of our world are of critical importance. 
        The House can be proud of the contribution it is making to this 
        effort and if I can be of assistance in these endeavors I will 
        be available to do so.
            I must acknowledge the courtesies and cooperation shown me 
        by the distinguished Minority Leader, Bob Michel. He has always 
        shown an appreciation of the role of our office and he and his 
        staff have been of inestimable support. To have known so many 
        of his predecessors, such distinguished men as Joe Martin, 
        Charley Halleck, John Rhodes and Gerald Ford, has been a rare 
        privilege. All of these Leaders have made the House a better 
        place and have left an indelible mark on its history.
            I will miss the many friendships with Members that have 
        formed over the years. May I extend to them, through you, my 
        appreciation for their kindnesses.
            With your concurrence, my termination as Parliamentarian 
        will be effective on September 15, 1994.
              Very respectfully yours,

                                                 Wm. Holmes Brown.

        The SPEAKER. It is with great regret that the Chair accepts the 
    resignation of the distinguished Parliamentarian of the House Wm. 
    Holmes Brown.
        Pursuant to the provisions of 2 U.S.C. 297a, the Chair 
    announces that on September 16, 1994, he appointed Charles W. 
    Johnson as Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives to 
    succeed Wm. Holmes Brown, resigned.

         {time}  1210                          -------------------

              A WARM FAREWELL TO WILLIAM H. BROWN, PARLIAMENTARIAN

        (Mr. MICHEL asked and was given permission to address the House 
    for 1

[[Page 521]]

    minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
        Mr. MICHEL. Mr. Speaker, I think the news that was just 
    announced here, that the Parliamentarian of the House is going to 
    retire, comes as a sad note for many of us who have known Bill 
    through all of these years, although I am happy that he is leaving 
    in a commensurate year with my own retirement. He could not be 
    leaving at a better time, from that standpoint.
        However, things have changed since I first started in this 
    House. At that time the Parliamentarian was Lou Deschler, referred 
    to by those who dared to call him ``the Judge.'' He was a tough old 
    bird. He would not talk to staff, and he would hardly talk to 
    Members.
        I remember one time I took him five different versions of an 
    amendment prohibiting food stamps for strikers and said, ``Okay, 
    Judge, one of these has got to be in order.'' And you see, he had 
    the only copy of all the precedents of the House from 1936 on in 
    his office, and he had all the power.
        Bill Brown has changed all that. He and his staff have done a 
    magnificent job in compiling and publishing those the Judge had 
    kept hidden. He has done an excellent job organizing the Office of 
    the Parliamentarian and helping the membership. Many of the 
    precedents are now ``on-line,'' available through the House 
    Information System.
        Bill was born in West Virginia, receiving a bachelor of science 
    degree from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1951. He received 
    his law degree from the University of Chicago, out our way in 
    Illinois, and served in the Naval Reserve with active duty in the 
    Persian Gulf, returning as a lieutenant commander in 1974.
        Bill was first appointed Assistant Parliamentarian by Speaker 
    Sam Rayburn, and then became Parliamentarian in 1974 under Speaker 
    Albert, and has served under six Speakers of the House.
        Bill has been a great Parliamentarian, but most do not realize 
    that he is also a farmer. He lives in a 200-year-old home on the 
    Oakland Green Farm, has expanded the log cabin with a stone 
    addition, and later a brick addition. Bill, I am not sure about the 
    aluminum siding you and your lovely wife Jean have now added.
        The Browns do have one daughter, Sarah, who is currently 
    studying in Kenya.
        Being a farmer and a Parliamentarian involves a lot of work. He 
    is often late coming in, as he has been birthing calves, or on 
    snowy days he has had to drive his tractor to a main road to get a 
    ride. You cannot miss his car in the Rayburn garage, as it looks 
    like he keeps it in the chicken coop all night.
        Bill, we are sorely going to miss you, and can imagine you 
    reciting precedents to your cows as the Congress continues writing 
    new ones. I believe we will still use your expertise in attempting 
    to finalize the publishing of the Deschler-Brown precedents, which 
    I will always consider the ``Brown volumes.''
        Taking Bill's place in the top spot is someone who I also have 
    known and argued with many a time, Charlie Johnson.
        We have had a good laugh telling the story of when Charlie 
    first was

[[Page 522]]

    working for the Judge, and Lou assigned Charlie the responsibility 
    of compiling old contested election cases. Charlie worked for 
    weeks, researching and writing, only to find out later that they 
    were all neatly compiled in Cannon's precedents.
        Charlie still works harder than he needs to. He is a good guy 
    and a dedicated worker. He is the perfect choice. Charlie, I hope 
    you will last longer than Lehr Fess, who some of you may not know 
    lasted just a year.
        Best to you, Bill, and we know, Charlie, John, Tom, and Muftiah 
    will carry on the strong tradition of professionalism and 
    cooperation that you 
    started.                          -------------------

        TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM HOLMES BROWN, PARLIAMENTARIAN, 
                               ON HIS RETIREMENT

        (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House 
    for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
        Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, nothing gives me greater satisfaction 
    than to hear on this day of retirement of Bill Brown these 
    wonderfully warm words from the Republican leader, because I think 
    the lifeblood of any parliamentary body is the sense that our 
    debates and discussions, the votes and actions taken here, are 
    taken in a context of rules and observance, conventions and 
    procedures, that are fair to each Member of the body. Indeed, I 
    think the history of our House of Representatives, certainly in 
    this recent period, has been one of scrupulous adherence to the 
    rules.
        As Speaker I have tried to follow that guide of fairness and 
    objectivity in every ruling I have made, and if I had any tendency 
    to veer from that, I would find resistance, very strong resistance, 
    from the Parliamentarians of the House, who are committed in an 
    almost religious sense to ensuring that the rules are absolutely 
    impartially observed here, I think there is a record, perhaps, of 
    the fact that this body has hardly ever overruled the Chair, and 
    that in those cases where there sometimes has been a question of 
    moving to override the Chair, Republican leadership has often 
    joined with our Members and Republican Members have joined with 
    Democratic Members in supporting the Chair.
        Certainly no small part of the credit for this belongs to Bill 
    Brown. He has been an absolutely sterling Parliamentarian in every 
    way. He has served six Speakers. He has been in this body for 
    almost a longer period than virtually anyone. There are few Members 
    and very few professional staff who have served as long.
        He begins his retirement with the best wishes and warm 
    affection of an overwhelming number of Members and those who serve 
    with him in aiding this body to achieve its objectives. He has 
    compiled, as Bob Michel says, the precedents of the House. They are 
    now available for all. He has in recent months been a special 
    resource of assistance to emerging parliamentary democracies in 
    Eastern Europe. I think he has found great satisfaction and 
    opportunity for additional service in that work.
        Charlie Johnson, his very long-time Assistant Parliamentarian, 
    has our full confidence on both sides of the aisle,

[[Page 523]]

    and I have made his appointment with great satisfaction; and if it 
    is time, in Bill Brown's judgment, to leave, that a successor as 
    worthy and able and committed and dedicated as Charlie Johnson 
    stands ready to assume the responsibilities.
        Mr. Speaker, I want to extend again, not only on my own behalf 
    but on the behalf of all Members of this House, my thanks and my 
    appreciation and my warmest best wishes to Bill Brown, and every 
    success and happiness for him and Jean in the years that lie ahead.

Sec. 10.5 Charles W. Johnson III was paid tribute on the occasion of 
    his retirement as Parliamentarian of the House.

    On May 20, 2004,(1) Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, of 
Illinois, laid before the House the resignation of its Parliamentarian, 
Charles W. Johnson III, effective May 31, 2004, after 40 years of 
Congressional service. After the resignation was read, the Speaker, 
from the floor, offered, and the House adopted, House Resolution 651, 
expressing gratitude for Mr. Johnson's service, and the Speaker, 
Majority Leader Tom DeLay, of Texas, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, of 
California, and other Members took the floor in tribute:
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 1. 150 Cong. Rec. 10618-29, 108th Cong. 2d Sess.

           RESIGNATION AS PARLIAMENTARIAN OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

        The SPEAKER laid before the House the following resignation as 
    Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives:

                                              The Speaker's Rooms,

                                         House of Representatives,

                                     Washington, DC, May 20, 2004.

                                             Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,

                            Speaker of the House of Representatives,

                                                     Washington, DC.

        Dear Mr. Speaker: After forty years of service in the Office of 
    Parliamentarian, I believe that the time is appropriate for me to 
    submit my resignation in completion of a wonderfully satisfying 
    career under seven Speakers. By this action, I shall with your 
    permission remain available to fulfill the requirement in law to 
    publish precedents accumulated during my tenure and that of my 
    beloved predecessor, the late Wm. Holmes Brown.
        This decision is made especially difficult by the loyal support 
    and friendship you have shown to me, Mr. Speaker. You have enabled 
    my office to serve the House and all its Members at a time of 
    profound institutional change, by coping with new pressures and 
    realities while mindful of the importance of continuity of the 
    practices and precedents of the House and of the dignity and 
    integrity of its proceedings. Speaker Foley, who appointed me to 
    this position, other Speakers, and Minority Leaders, whose personal 
    friendships I have also cherished, have likewise been particularly 
    supportive of this office.
        One need only refer to the prefaces of Hinds', Cannon's, and 
    Deschler's

[[Page 524]]

    Precedents to gain a sense of the extent of the procedural 
    evolution in the House for the first 190 years of the Republic, and 
    then compare with that documented history the nature and pace of 
    more recent changes, to understand the enormity of contemporary 
    developments. Along the way, important matters of Constitutional 
    separation of powers and continuity of government have occupied 
    high profile status requiring the attention of my office. Numerous 
    incremental changes have considerably altered the procedural 
    landscape during my career. Examples include increased turnover in 
    Membership, committee seniority status, budgetary disciplines, 
    appropriations practices, an ethics process, televised proceedings, 
    multiplicity of committee jurisdictions, oversight and 
    authorization prerequisites, the impact of changing Senate 
    processes, disposition of matters in conference, review of 
    Executive actions, authorities to recess, to postpone and cluster 
    votes and consolidate amendments, an issue-specific super-majority 
    vote requirement, electronic capabilities, committee report 
    availabilities, five-minute rule and other special rule variations, 
    and the interaction between traditional spontaneity of the House's 
    proceedings and trends toward relative predictability of time 
    constraints and issues presented.
        I believe that the longstanding tradition of the role of the 
    Chair in rendering impartial and proper decisions has been 
    maintained and appreciated despite the switch in party majorities 
    and despite occasional efforts to appeal various rulings. It has 
    been reassuring when bipartisan majorities understand and support 
    the rulings of the Chair solely on the basis of their propriety as 
    nonpartisan institutional standards with precedential significance. 
    Respect for appropriate means of disagreement remains the 
    foundation upon which so much depends. I express special gratitude 
    to those Members on both sides of the aisle who served as fair and 
    effective presiding officers during this time. We share a unique 
    bond.
        In fact, my decision is made easier by the certain realization 
    that my office is immediately capable of providing all required 
    services to the House. That is made possible by the total 
    dedication and competence of my deputies, assistants and clerks. 
    Beyond the fact that they offer to the House more than 100 years in 
    cumulative nonpartisan professional experience, they are my dear 
    friends whose institutional loyalty and commitment have been 
    unfailing. Together, with frequent infusions of humor and with an 
    essential ability to communicate honestly with all who inquire, 
    they serve in the public interest. In retrospect many of my own 
    most valuable experiences were as Deputy and Assistant, in 
    furtherance of the office's collective response to questions. I am 
    particularly proud of the involvement of my office in the 
    preparation of the recodification of the Rules in the 106th 
    Congress working with a bi-partisan task force. By this letter 
    through you Mr. Speaker, I also wish to honor the many staff who, 
    over the years, have respected and protected the collegial 
    traditions of the House by their professionalism and by being true 
    to Speaker O'Neill's reminder of the abiding ``importance of being 
    nice''.
        My affection for the House which began when Parliamentarian 
    Lewis Deschler hired me in 1964 has been

[[Page 525]]

    sustaining. It has been nurtured by occasional skepticism, by the 
    never-ending nuances of questions and responses which have 
    confronted the House, by cherished relationships with Members and 
    staff past and present, and by exchanges with parliamentarians from 
    over the world. I expect to communicate the value of this unique 
    experience to young people contemplating public service. Thank you, 
    Mr. Speaker, for having permitted me this opportunity, and for your 
    friendship.
        With your permission, this resignation will take effect May 31, 
    2004.

              Very respectfully yours,

                                               Charles W. Johnson,

                                                  Parliamentarian.

        The SPEAKER. With great regret, the Chair accepts the 
    resignation of the distinguished Parliamentarian of the House, 
    Charles W. Johnson, effective May 31, 
    2004.                          -------------------

           APPOINTMENT AS PARLIAMENTARIAN OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

        The SPEAKER. Pursuant to section 287a of title 2, United States 
    Code, the Chair appoints John V. Sullivan as Parliamentarian of the 
    House of Representatives to succeed Charles W. Johnson, resigned.
        Will the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) kindly assume the 
    Chair.                          -------------------

        EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ITS 
               PARLIAMENTARIAN, THE HONORABLE CHARLES W. JOHNSON.

        Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 651) 
    expressing the gratitude of the House of Representatives to its 
    Parliamentarian, the Honorable Charles W. Johnson, and ask 
    unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.
        The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                                  H. Res. 651

            Whereas Charles W. Johnson was appointed to the Office of 
        the Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives in May 1964 
        and, over the ensuing 40 years has continuously served in that 
        Office under seven successive Speakers, the past 10 years as 
        Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives under the 
        appointments of three successive Speakers;
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson has unfailingly endeavored to 
        apply pertinent precedent to every parliamentary question, in 
        recognition of the principle that fidelity to precedent 
        promotes procedural fairness and legitimacy; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson has institutionalized in the 
        Office of the Parliamentarian his demonstrated commitment to 
        consistency in parliamentary analysis: Now, therefore, be it
            Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its 
        profound gratitude to the Honorable Charles W. Johnson for his 
        unrivaled record of devoted service and steady, impartial 
        guidance as its Parliamentarian.

        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Illinois?
        There was no objection.

                             parliamentary inquiry

        Mr. [David] DREIER [of California]. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary 
    inquiry.

[[Page 526]]

        The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood).(2) The 
    gentleman may inquire.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. Ray LaHood (PA).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, is a motion to table this resolution 
    in order at this time?
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
    Hastert), the distinguished Speaker, will control 1 hour.
        Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume, after which I yield my time to the gentleman from Texas 
    (Mr. DeLay) and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control 
    that time.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Illinois?
        There was no objection.
        Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago Charlie Johnson, fresh 
    out of Virginia Law School, came to work for the Office of the 
    Parliamentarian. Little did he know that 40 years later, almost to 
    the day, he would be announcing his retirement from that same 
    office.
        Charlie, we are going to miss you.
        You have been a rock. You have advised seven different Speakers 
    and countless Speaker pro tems on how they should rule on various 
    parliamentary questions. You have advised thousands of Members and 
    even more staff in how to draft their amendments. You have given us 
    advice on committee jurisdiction, the favorite part of my job.
        The Parliamentarian in the House takes on special significance, 
    more so than any other legislative body. You have to be exceedingly 
    fair and judicious, and have to be seen as fair and judicious by 
    both sides. And I know that is not always easy.
        Charlie replaced Bill Brown as Parliamentarian. Bill started 
    the process of demystifying the precedents used by his predecessor, 
    Lew Deschler. That is a pretty good pedigree of institutional 
    knowledge. Charlie has continued to make the Parliamentarian's 
    office more accessible and more open to Members and staff.
        Charlie is a man of many talents. He is dedicated to education 
    and talks endlessly about his beloved Camp Dudley, a place for kids 
    to learn about the great outdoors. He is a baseball fanatic, a 
    southpaw who pitches batting practice for the Los Angeles Dodgers. 
    And he has an avid interest in the English House of Commons. In 
    fact, he is writing a book with his counterpart in London comparing 
    our procedures with those of the Parliament.
        I am sure he thinks he will get the chance to spend more time 
    with his lovely wife Martha and his two boys, Charles and Drew, 
    once he retires, but let us not kid ourselves. If I know Charlie 
    Johnson, I know he will keep as active as he ever has with his many 
    interests in many things.
        I have asked John Sullivan to replace Charlie, and he has 
    accepted the offer. John is well respected by both Republicans and 
    Democrats and has served in the Parliamentarian's office since 
    1987. John is a graduate from the Air Force Academy and got his law 
    degree from Indiana School of Law. John is an avid college 
    basketball fan whose allegiance tends to flow to any team that 
    Bobby Knight coaches. John is an able successor to Charlie Johnson, 
    Bill Brown and Lew Deschler, and he will do a fine job.

[[Page 527]]

        Once again, best wishes to Charlie Johnson in his golden years. 
    We wish you the best.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) 
    is recognized.
         Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield half of my time to the 
    gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) and ask unanimous consent 
    that she be allowed to control that time.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Texas?
        There was no objection.

                                {time}  1015

        Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume.
        To the gentleman from California's (Mr. Dreier) question as to 
    whether it was appropriate to table the resolution, I think we 
    should have tabled the letter.
        Mr. Speaker, it is with personal and official pride that I rise 
    to pay tribute to Charles Johnson on his retirement as House 
    Parliamentarian and to thank him for his many years of outstanding 
    service to this body.
        To praise Charlie Johnson is easy, and it is one thing that 
    brings Democrats and Republicans together. I have only served for 
    17 years of Charlie's 40, and during that time I have observed, and 
    we have all witnessed, profound changes in how this body conducts 
    its business. But through every change and difficult time, the 
    House has always been able to count on the expert, honest, and fair 
    advice of Charlie Johnson.
        Charlie began his service in the House in 1964, as acknowledged 
    by the Speaker, shortly after graduating from the University of 
    Virginia Law School. When he was appointed House Parliamentarian in 
    1994, he joined a distinguished line that includes Clarence Cannon, 
    Lewis Deschler, and Bill Brown. Think of this, my colleagues: 
    Charlie is just the third Parliamentarian since 1928.
        Respected on both sides of the aisle, Charlie was first 
    appointed by a Democratic Speaker, Speaker Tom Foley, and 
    reappointed by Republican Speakers Newt Gingrich and the gentleman 
    from Illinois (Mr. Hastert).
        Charlie exemplifies the best of this House. With his 
    unquestioned integrity and keen intellect, he has consistently 
    maintained the highest standards of nonpartisanship and scholarship 
    for the Office of Parliamentarian. Charlie has guided us carefully, 
    but firmly, through turbulent floor debates; and he knows of what 
    we speak here and has provided sound and discreet advice to 
    individual Members and staff.
        He has served as a mentor to the outstanding Parliamentarians 
    that serve under him, among them his respected successor, John 
    Sullivan. And we are all pleased with the Speaker's announcement 
    that John Sullivan will be named the Parliamentarian; and that, of 
    course, is the suggestion of Charlie Johnson. So respected is he 
    that he can even suggest his own successor.
        On top of everything, Charlie Johnson is truly a kind man. The 
    Speaker and others will reference Camp Dudley, one of his acts of 
    kindness.
        As a San Franciscan, and, Charlie, I am going to spill the 
    beans on you, I am delighted that Charlie is also a devoted San 
    Francisco Giants fan. But

[[Page 528]]

    Charlie is not just a fan. When he leaves us, he will take up his 
    true calling as a major league batting practice pitcher, beginning 
    with a Dodgers-Expos game soon.
        Perhaps, Mr. Leader, we can use our collective influence to 
    have this event covered by C-SPAN. Maybe we could just do it right 
    here on the floor and then it will be covered by C-SPAN.
        Although Charlie will relinquish his daily duties here, 
    Charlie's dedication to this House, of course, will remain. Charlie 
    will continue the difficult, but essential, work on the Precedents 
    of the House of Representatives.
        Earlier this week when the Speaker told me of the news of 
    Charlie's submitting this letter, which I agree should be tabled, I 
    received the news with mixed emotions. We all know how great 
    Charlie is as the Parliamentarian and what a great friend he is to 
    many of us, but of course we want to see him go on after 40 years 
    to fulfill himself personally in other ways. And so we know he will 
    teach professionally at the University of Virginia Law School and 
    he will collaborate with the Parliamentarian in the House of 
    Commons of the U.K. on a book of parliamentary procedures that will 
    surely be a great contribution on that important topic.
        But I was delighted to hear Charlie talk about his own personal 
    plans. Of course he will have more time with his wonderful family, 
    and he is very lucky his grandchildren live in the region. In fact, 
    we are lucky his grandchildren live in the region because hopefully 
    that will mean that Charlie will visit us frequently.
        As you leave us, Charlie, please go forth with the knowledge 
    that anyone who values the work of this House of Representatives 
    indeed values the work of democracy, is deeply in your debt, and 
    that goes well beyond those of us who have served here, with the 
    knowledge that you will be deeply missed and with the hope for us 
    that you will visit us often. Good luck to you. Congratulations. 
    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you to your family for 
    sharing you with us.
        Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
        Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume.
        Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed feelings that I come to the House 
    today to wish farewell to our respected and beloved Parliamentarian 
    Charlie Johnson. It is a happy day because it provides us with an 
    opportunity to recognize one of the true giants of the United 
    States House of Representatives and finally give one of our often 
    underappreciated officials his due and also because we know he is 
    on his way to a happy retirement.
        But it is a sad day, as well, for the House is losing one of 
    its true institutions. For more than 4 decades, Charlie has 
    provided Members of both parties the benefit of his guidance and 
    his judgment and his experience. Charlie is an honest man, one of 
    the few in Washington whose staff can honestly claim that they 
    rarely make mistakes and honestly claim that they take 
    responsibility for them when they do.
        For instance, when I took over as majority leader, Charlie and 
    I often butted heads over the length of floor votes. I urged the 
    Chair to gavel votes closely right at 15 minutes, even as Members 
    were scrambling to the floor

[[Page 529]]

    to cast their votes. I thought that imposing a little discipline in 
    the voting would encourage a more efficient use of floor time in 
    the House.
        But Charlie's experience taught him the value of tolerance and 
    understanding in these matters; and particularly during certain 
    votes late last year, I finally saw the wisdom of Charlie's way of 
    thinking in leaving some of those votes open. For those of you on 
    the other side of the aisle, that was a Tom DeLay's idea of a joke.
        Along with Charlie's experience, we will also miss his undying 
    support for the Amherst College Lord Jeffs, which, to those of you 
    who follow the perennial NESCAC, the cellar-dwellers, know, is 
    vocal, enthusiastic, and honestly a little sad.
        Seriously, Mr. Speaker, the job of the Parliamentarian is a job 
    of trust, of integrity, and of honesty. These are the qualities 
    without which no description of Charlie Johnson would be complete. 
    The House has been honored by his service, and we have been honored 
    by his presence.
        Good luck, Charlie. God bless you and your family, and of 
    course we always thank you for your exemplary and distinguished 
    service to the House of Representatives and to this Nation.
        Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman 
    from California (Mr. Dreier) and ask unanimous consent that he be 
    allowed to control that time.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Texas?
        There was no objection.
        Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
    very distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), ranking member 
    on the Committee on Rules. He and the Committee on Rules and staff, 
    as well as other Members, know full well the quality of the 
    excellence of the work of Charlie Johnson, and I ask unanimous 
    consent that he be allowed to control that time.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentlewoman from California?
        There was no objection.
        Mr. [Martin] FROST [of Texas]. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes 
    to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.
        Mr. [Steny H.] HOYER [of Maryland]. Mr. Speaker, I thank the 
    distinguished gentleman from Texas, the ranking member of the 
    Committee on Rules, for yielding me this time.
        Those who will speak have been here for some years. Most of us 
    who speak are known as institutions. We love this House. We believe 
    this House plays a very unique role in this democracy. It is called 
    the People's house, a House to which one can be elected but not 
    appointed. It is a House where the passions and wisdom of the 
    people are joined in this crucible of decision-making process. It 
    is a House that is composed of persons of different views, 
    different regions, indeed different races and nationalities. It is 
    a House where our Founding Fathers designed American democracy to 
    be realized.
        And in that context it is extraordinarily important to have a 
    House that plays by the rules. Our Founding Fathers knew that if we 
    were to have democracy, it would have to be governed by rules.

[[Page 530]]

        The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), my good friend, the 
    former majority leader, is on the floor; and I have heard him say 
    so often that democracy is a substitute for war.
        In that context, it is sometimes confrontational; and we need a 
    wise person helped by wise staff to, in effect, be the referee, to 
    say to both sides that we are a democracy and we resolve questions 
    in a peaceful way, perhaps animated, perhaps heated, but 
    nevertheless in a way that seeks to realize the dream of our 
    Founding Fathers, a dream which has been sustained now since 1789 
    because of people like Charles W. Johnson III. Not elected to serve 
    but selected, selected by persons who themselves are elected and 
    who know the value of this institution and the absolutely essential 
    position that Charles Johnson III was called to serve in.
        I am not objective. Those of us who speak will not be 
    objective. We are his friends. We are his admirers. We are 
    appreciative of the service that he has given to this House but, 
    much more importantly, to this country. He is wise. He is also 
    thoughtful. He is also caring of the institution, its staff and its 
    Members but, most of all, of his country.
        Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues to thank Charlie Johnson 
    for his service. Charlie's service will be long remembered. He will 
    write a book, and like his predecessors, that book will be used for 
    generations to come to help manage this center of democracy, the 
    people's House.
        I somewhat lament the fact that Charlie is leaving and will be 
    replaced by John Sullivan, not because John Sullivan is not a 
    worthy successor, but because I prefer Gary Williams to Bobby 
    Knight, and Drew went to the University of Maryland and therefore 
    leavened Charlie Johnson's University of Virginia experience.
        But, Charlie, as you leave, as we honor you, as we thank you, 
    we wish you Godspeed and wish you many years of the kind of 
    productivity and success that you have enjoyed here in this House. 
    You have been and continue to be a great American in the tradition 
    of your predecessors who ensured that the people's House would be 
    revered by its Members and respected by those it serves. Godspeed.

                                {time}  1030

        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume.
        Mr. Speaker, this is a very challenging time for all of us, 
    because Charlie has been such a great friend and enormous asset to 
    this institution.
        Many of us are proud to be institutionalists, and as the 
    gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said, I am one of them; and 
    there are an awful lot of people here who, over the last decades 
    have seen attacks made on this institution itself, but many of us, 
    you included, Mr. Speaker, have had a strong commitment to this 
    institution.
        The Office of the Parliamentarian began in 1857 when Speaker 
    James L. Orr of South Carolina appointed Thaddeus Morrice as 
    ``Messenger.'' Morrice was said to have a marvelous memory and his 
    ability to recall the House precedents and other decisions of the 
    Chair required him to be near the Speaker in his role as presiding 
    officer of the House.

[[Page 531]]

        The title was later changed to ``Clerk to the Speaker,'' then 
    to ``Clerk at the Speaker's Table,'' and in 1927 to ``House 
    Parliamentarian.'' The first person to actually have the title of 
    Parliamentarian was Lehr Fess.
        Today, we are honoring Charles W. Johnson III as he steps down 
    from that most important position. There are few people, including 
    those Members who have been elected to serve, who have contributed 
    more to this institution than Charlie Johnson.
        In fact, Mr. Speaker, I believe that Charles W. Johnson III is 
    the greatest Parliamentarian to have served this House and our 
    country. His dedication and service to this great institution is 
    unparalleled in our history.
        Oh, yes, great men have served before, as we have heard, but he 
    has distinguished himself from them by his desire and ability to 
    not only assist the Speaker and other presiding officers, but to 
    reach out and teach Members and staff the rules of this 
    institution.
        Moreover, he has been an example as to how we should conduct 
    ourselves in office and in life. He has always been a gentleman who 
    has dealt with Members honestly and fairly. He has worked with 
    Members from both sides of the aisle evenhandedly and without 
    prejudice. His advice and counsel have always been sound and 
    thoughtful. He has been steady and consistent, even when there has 
    been turmoil in the House and in the country at large.
        Charlie has helped this institution during some of the most 
    trying times that our country has endured. He has competently 
    served this House and our country by assuring that this great 
    Chamber proceeds in order when there has been chaos and conflict in 
    the world around us. He has been at our side from the Vietnam War 
    to the War on Terror.
        There is not enough time to ever fully explain how much Charlie 
    has contributed. Every piece, every single piece of legislation, 
    every amendment considered, every motion, every floor event, every 
    law enacted over the past several decades, bears his mark. Who else 
    among us can actually say that?
        I am humbled at the thought of how much he has done for me 
    personally as a Member of this body and as chairman of the 
    Committee on Rules. He has assisted me through major reforms and 
    minor jurisdictional squabbles.
        But today I want to say thank you very much, Charlie, not only 
    for what you have done for me, but I want to thank you for what you 
    have done for this great institution, the greatest deliberative 
    body known to man and to our country as a whole.
        Yesterday morning, not unusually, the House Committee on Rules 
    convened at 7 a.m. to proceed with consideration of the Department 
    of Defense authorization rule and the conference report on the 
    budget. At the end of that meeting, I joined with the gentleman 
    from Texas (Mr. Frost), the ranking minority member of the 
    Committee on Rules, in asking for an agreement to be unanimous, 
    and, thank heavens for you, Charlie, no one did call a vote, but we 
    unanimously did pass a resolution that had been crafted by our able 
    Staff Director, Billy Pitts, who, as you know, is a great 
    institutionalist and very committed to this body, and Kristi 
    Walseth, who worked in fashioning the resolution.

[[Page 532]]

        I should say that we actually have many more staff people on 
    the House floor, I think, than Members at this moment, because 
    there are so many staff members with whom you have worked closely. 
    I mentioned Billy Pitts, but I want to say on behalf of the 
    bipartisan staff membership of the House Committee on Rules, 
    working closely with you and your team, I see here on the floor 
    Seth Webb and a number of people from the Speaker's office who 
    work, I know, very closely with you. These staff members will not 
    have an opportunity to speak here on the House floor, but I know 
    that every single one of them would want us to express our 
    appreciation to you for your effort.
        I would like to take just a moment to read the resolution, 
    which we overnight have gotten on parchment, and I am going to 
    personally present to you here. This was voted unanimously by the 
    Committee on Rules at 7 o'clock, foggy, yesterday morning.

            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has served the House of 
        Representatives with dedication and devotion in the Office of 
        the Parliamentarian since May 20, 1964; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III learned the Rules, 
        practices and precedents of the House under the tutelage of 
        Lewis Deschler, who served the House as Parliamentarian from 
        1928 until 1974, and his good and great friend W. Holmes Brown, 
        who served as the House Parliamentarian from 1974 until 1994; 
        and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has used those lessons to 
        honorably serve as a universally respected Parliamentarian of 
        the House from 1994 until today; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has, as a teacher of House 
        rules, its practices and precedents, taught respect for the 
        institution of the United States House of Representatives to 
        countless Members of Congress and their staff; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has provided to the 
        Committee on Rules countless hours of advice and counsel as 
        well as assistance in its work as the traffic cop of the House; 
        and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has ensured that the Office 
        the Parliamentarian will continue to operate with the high 
        standards and non-partisan manner that he and his predecessors 
        have demanded by assembling a knowledgeable, skilled and 
        experienced staff who serve as a vital part of the operation of 
        the House; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III, or ``Charlie'' as he is 
        known in the House, will continue to serve the House as he 
        continues the work of Lew Deschler and Bill Brown by finishing 
        the Precedents of the House; and
            Whereas his good humor, kind smile and love of baseball 
        will be missed by all who know him in the House of 
        Representatives; and
            Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III will officially retire from 
        the United States House of Representatives on May 20, 2004, 
        exactly 40 years after he first came to this body: Now, 
        therefore be it
            Resolved, That the Members of the Committee on Rules 
        express their deep and lasting appreciation for the service 
        Charles W. Johnson, III has given to the Committee, the House 
        of Representatives and the people of the United States of 
        America.

        I look forward to giving this to you personally, Charlie.
        Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume.

[[Page 533]]

        Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you and the Democratic leader for 
    bringing this resolution to the Floor this morning so that Members 
    of the House may pay tribute to our friend Charles W. Johnson.
        Charlie is taking leave of his position as Parliamentarian of 
    the House today, exactly 40 years after he began as a young lawyer 
    fresh out of law school in the Parliamentarian's office. On his 
    last day in the House it is only fitting that the Members of this 
    body can take the floor to pay tribute to him and express our 
    gratitude and our friendship.
        To say that Charlie is a creature of the House or a servant of 
    this institution does him a disservice, for without him, many of us 
    would never have learned the intricacies of the Rules of the House, 
    its practices and its procedures. Without his sage advice and 
    counsel, so many of us, as well as our staff, would be lost in the 
    maze of legislative practice.
        His office, just off this floor, is more than just an office; 
    it has served as a focal point for discussions both pointed and 
    prosaic, political and procedural, but always, always, non-
    partisan.
        Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, Charlie is the institution. During 
    his 40 years as a Parliamentarian, he has served Democratic 
    Speakers and Republican Speakers. He has shown fairness to all and 
    malice to none. Not an easy task, where tempers can run high and 
    where blame is easily cast.
        He has served through peace and war and through times of great 
    national triumph and tragedy. Charlie has always risen to the 
    challenge, and in doing so, has challenged so many of us to do so 
    as well.
        Charlie took over the job as the Parliamentarian in 1994 
    following the retirement of his dear friend and colleague Bill 
    Brown. Just as Bill was a voice of calm, deliberative reason, so is 
    Charlie. Far too often we, as Members, fail to recognize the 
    importance of those qualities in the people who ensure that the 
    business of the House can proceed, regardless of which political 
    party holds the majority. I know that it is often the case with 
    regard to Charlie and the entire staff of the Office of the 
    Parliamentarian.
        Charlie is so good at what he does that he makes the job look 
    easy. But I, for one, know it is not. But his talents, his 
    intellect and his love for this institution have made our job as 
    legislators all the more easy, and I am grateful.
        When I was first elected to the House 26 years ago, I became 
    only the second freshman Member in the 20th century to take a seat 
    on the Committee on Rules. Had it not been for Bill and Charlie, my 
    acclimation to that difficult post would have been far more 
    difficult. I know because of their patient tutelage, their 
    willingness to just sit down and talk, their careful guidance, my 
    knowledge of the Rules and how to use them now runs both deep and 
    wide.
        I want to take just a moment, Mr. Speaker, to kind of talk 
    about my personal experience with Charlie and his office.
        From time to time, I, my staff, would go to see Charlie and we 
    would ask very direct questions, questions that were vital to 
    formulating strategy on our side of the aisle. What he would do 
    would be to respond to every question and to answer every question 
    truthfully. He did not go beyond that. He

[[Page 534]]

    did not try to suggest what strategic steps we should take. He only 
    answered what we asked. And I know he did that for the other side 
    as well.
        He was truly acting in the best, non-partisan position in 
    helping us as partisans understand what we could and could not do. 
    But he never went beyond that. He never said, ``By the way, you 
    know, you could do this also.'' And that is the role of a 
    Parliamentarian, to answer truthfully the questions of both sides 
    of the aisle, and then let those Members on both sides of the aisle 
    figure out where they go with the information.
        I cannot tell you how important that is to the functioning of 
    this body and how important it has been to me as a Member to know 
    that I can go to someone and get an honest answer; who will answer 
    my questions, but who will not necessarily go beyond that. And I 
    respect that.
        I know we will all miss Charlie, but I also know we all wish 
    him well. He has earned the respect of hundreds of Members and more 
    staff than he can count. He is a man of the House and a deep and 
    true friend of the House. He has ensured that his office will 
    continue to serve the House by assembling a talented staff.
        I owe him so much, and there are not words to express my deep 
    gratitude and affection. I can only wish you the best, Charlie. And 
    while I know he has taken great pains to ensure the institution 
    will go on without him, I know it will not be the same.
        Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am happy to yield 1 
    minute to my friend, the gentleman from Sanibel, Florida (Mr. 
    Goss), the very distinguished vice chairman of the Committee on 
    Rules.
        Mr. [Porter J.] GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished 
    chairman for yielding me time.
        I too wish to associate myself with the praise and gratitude 
    for the man and his service to our institution. I would 
    characterize Charlie as the true north on the compass of this 
    institution and the man who had the good judgment to understand 
    when magnetic declinations were in order. He has had seasoned 
    patience with seasoned Members, and he has had extraordinary 
    patience with new Members, to try to explain how things happen 
    here. I think many of us feel that his personal judgment is as much 
    a hallmark as the knowledge of the institution, which is matched by 
    none.
        The reason I asked for time to speak is that Charlie will 
    always be in my memory on a fateful day in this country, September 
    11, 2001. The Speaker of the House desired that the House be opened 
    for a prayer on that fateful day even as events were transpiring 
    around us. It was not the right time, there was concern about 
    precedent. Parliamentarians always worry about precedent.

                                {time}  1045

        Charlie found a way for us to get the House opened, the prayer 
    said, and the House evacuated. And I have, to this day, that 
    official Record hanging on my wall in my office and it will always 
    be a memory of my life. Because I think it was very important that 
    that day was recorded that way about this

[[Page 535]]

    institution, and it would not have happened without him, of course.
        Charlie is well regarded here and overseas, as we know. I have 
    talked to parliamentarians, as I am sure others will testify, who 
    come and wonder how this democracy works; how the people's House 
    works. He has imparted that knowledge and wisdom and judgment 
    around the globe, and I have heard it expressed many times from 
    visitors who come here.
        He has added value. He has brought credit to our institution. 
    We are going to miss you a lot, Charlie, and I wanted to say 
    thanks.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
    Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the dean of the House.
        Mr. [John D.] DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great personal 
    sadness about the departure from this institution of a great 
    friend, wise counselor, mentor, and superb public servant. I do 
    speak, however, with pride about the accomplishments of Charlie 
    Johnson, who has served us, the House, and his country well.
        He is in all particulars a great patriot and a great American. 
    He has been wise counselor to us, mentor; he has given us good 
    advice; and he has seen to it that we understood the history and 
    the traditions of this institution.
        He has served us in the great traditions of Clarence Cannon, 
    Lewis Deschler, Bill Brown, and now the fine work which he has 
    done. He is going to be missed by this institution. He has served 
    as an example to all of us and to those who will follow in his 
    particular task as Parliamentarian.
        It has been his responsibility to see to it that the House 
    function as it should, in accord with the great traditions that we 
    have here of respect, of decency, and of love of this institution. 
    And for that and all of the other things that we can say good about 
    Charlie, we have to recognize that we should say thank you; that we 
    should say well done; that we should wish him well for what it is 
    that he has accomplished.
        The House is a better institution for his wonderful service to 
    this body. And all of us here, as individual Members, particularly 
    those of us who have had frequent occasion to consult with him 
    about the rules, about the traditions, about how this institution 
    does work and how it should work have a special reason to be 
    grateful to him and to have a special burden of gratitude to him 
    for what he has done.
        I am proud, indeed, that he has been my friend. I am grateful 
    to him as my mentor. I am appreciative to him of his wise counsel 
    and guidance. And I know that I am not alone in feeling a singular 
    debt of gratitude to my good friend, our Parliamentarian, as he 
    leaves us.
        I would note that other Members have these same feelings and 
    all have good reasons. And I would note that the House of 
    Representatives is a better institution, and one more in keeping 
    with the traditions and with the principles and practices, and in 
    keeping with what it is we would like to say it was, a great 
    institution, the House of the people, and a place which serves all 
    of us.
        All of us have reason to miss him, and we will indeed. We will 
    wish him well. We will pray that God will be

[[Page 536]]

    good to him and that He will give him many years to enjoy a 
    reflection upon the great service which he has given to this great 
    country.
        I say again to him, Charlie, well done, good and faithful 
    servant. You have made this a great institution, and we are all 
    grateful to you. Thank you, my friend.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
    gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).
        Mr. [Thomas E.] PETRI. Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of real 
    loss that I first heard the news that Charlie Johnson was leaving 
    after so many years of dedicated service to all of us in the House, 
    and I want to take this occasion to join with my colleagues in 
    paying tribute to him today.
        I personally take great comfort in seeing Charlie each day at 
    his post on the Speaker's podium, monitoring our proceedings, 
    guiding the Member who has been appointed to preside over the 
    House, and making the determinations and rulings needed to keep 
    this House running in a manner that respects the rights and the 
    privileges of all Members. I know that we are in good hands.
        The person who serves as Parliamentarian influences the daily 
    activities of the House, and though not known by many Americans, 
    has had a great impact on some of the most dramatic moments that 
    have occurred in this Chamber. From his perch, he literally has a 
    front seat to history. I am sure at times he found himself in 
    situations he never expected; but through it all, his behavior was 
    beyond reproach.
        Perhaps what impressed me most as I got to know Charlie over 
    the years was his commitment to and interest in parliamentary 
    procedure, not only here in the U.S. but in other legislative 
    bodies as well. Charlie often traveled to consult with others and 
    has participated in conferences and hearings explaining our rules 
    and procedures.
        Speaking from my own experience, he joined us on trips to 
    London as part of the British-American Parliamentary Group. He 
    spent at least part of the time consulting with his counterpart in 
    the British Parliament regarding a cooperative project on 
    parliamentary procedures and comparing the two institutions.
        Charlie was an educator. In addition to writing and editing 
    books about parliamentary procedure, he spent a lot of time meeting 
    with school kids and others to explain how our House works and the 
    importance of parliamentary procedure and its literal impact on the 
    history of our House and this Nation.
        As he leaves us, we can thank him too for the way he ran the 
    Office of Parliamentarian and mentored the deputy and assistant 
    Parliamentarians under his direction. His deputy, John Sullivan, 
    will become the Parliamentarian next month. This also reflects well 
    on the standards Charlie set for his office.
        I will miss Charlie, but I will value always his integrity, 
    professionalism, his attention given to each Member no matter what 
    party they may have represented, his principled advice and conduct, 
    his love and respect for the House and its traditions, and, most 
    importantly, for his friendship.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
    Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the former Democratic leader of the House.

[[Page 537]]

        Mr. [Richard A.] GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I found out something I 
    did not know about Charlie today. I found out from our leader that 
    he is a San Francisco Giants fan. If I had known that, I would not 
    have come today.
        On a more serious note, I have had some time lately to do some 
    things that I usually have not had time to do, so I have been 
    watching on television the early part of the proceedings here in 
    the House, and I hear these rules being explained. I have tried to 
    put myself in the shoes of an average citizen, and I think it is 
    gobbledygook, and I do not understand what they are talking about. 
    But that really is the magic of this place.
        As the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said earlier, I am 
    fond of saying that politics is a substitute for violence. It 
    really is. And the only thing that allows us to resolve our 
    differences peacefully is that we have a process. We have rules. We 
    have laws. We have parliamentary procedure. And that process is 
    what makes this place work and makes democracy work in our country.
        The keeper of those rules has been our subject today, Charles 
    Johnson. He has done it, in my view, as well as it can be done. He 
    has always been fair. No one questions his judgment or his 
    enunciation of the precedents of the House, whether it comes down 
    in your favor or it does not. He is a professional. No one ever 
    doubts his knowledge or his dedication to knowledge about the 
    process.
        Finally, his character, his human character, has been 
    impressive to everybody who has come in contact with him. Whether a 
    Member, staff, people visiting, everyone knows that this is a man 
    of great character.
        I guess the best story I can tell to kind of sum up my feelings 
    about Charlie is that we had a common friend, someone that I went 
    to Northwestern University with and was one of my best friends 
    there, wound up at the University of Virginia Law School and became 
    a friend of Charlie's. So we, in that common friendship, got 
    somewhat of a personal relationship; and we, unfortunately, saw our 
    friend die of cancer some years back. But even with that personal 
    relationship I had with Charlie, I never, ever felt that in 
    anything he did while I was leader or in anything I have done here 
    was anything other than fair. Never prejudiced. Never giving in to 
    human relationships. Always calling it the way he saw it and making 
    judgments on the process, which is at the heart of our democratic 
    experiment, fairly and with honesty and good character.
        Charlie, we truly will miss you. We welcome the successor, who 
    is going to do a great job; and we wish you the greatest time in 
    retirement that anybody could ever have. Thank you.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 2 minutes to 
    the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), a Member who has chosen 
    to retire at the end of this term but has served extraordinarily 
    well on both the Committee on International Relations and the 
    Committee on Financial Services.
        Mr. [Doug] BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
    California for yielding me this time and for his statement.
        It is people that make an institution function, that make it 
    great, that sustain and build respect for it; and

[[Page 538]]

    Charles W. Johnson is certainly one of those people. He has helped 
    the Congress respect and assert the best traditions and decorum of 
    the House.
        I said to him, Charlie, you cannot retire before I do. I will 
    miss you too much. And yet I guess we were born in the same vintage 
    year. Nevertheless, we have great respect for John Sullivan, and we 
    look forward to his service here as Parliamentarian.
        I think it was just a few minutes ago that the distinguished 
    gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said Charlie Johnson is not 
    only a knowledgeable man but he is a wise man and a caring man, and 
    that is certainly the case. I respect the contributions so much 
    that he has made to help young people who have less advantages than 
    most others.
        Charles Johnson has had a tremendous and very positive impact 
    on the U.S. House of Representatives during his service here, 40 
    years to the month in the Office of the Parliamentarian, and 10 
    years as our Parliamentarian. Tremendous service!
        I remember a day back on January 21, 1997. I do not preside 
    over the House that much, but it has been my lot to preside on some 
    of the most difficult days, and I recall that difficult and 
    historic day. And it was the strategy and advice of Charles Johnson 
    that helped set the tone and the order and demeanor of the House 
    that day, through me, which was so crucial. I thank him for that 
    and for so many other occasions.
        It has been my privilege to travel with Charlie as I led the 
    House delegation to the NATO-Parliamentary Assembly, and not only 
    going to Brussels but, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) 
    said, visiting the House of Commons where Charles Johnson is very 
    well known. Charlie has lots of friends there and in the leadership 
    of the House of Representatives.
        If Charlie and this Member ever talk about nonessential things 
    here, like sports, we have talked about college football. And I 
    have never until yesterday really known how much of an interest 
    Charlie Johnson had in baseball. But I think I am shortly going to 
    join him as a fan of the San Francisco Giants. A couple of years 
    ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on the chronic shortage of 
    left-handed batting practice pitchers in major league baseball. So 
    shortly thereafter, Charlie's ability to throw strikes from the 
    port side was tested as he auditioned and then he started pitching 
    for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they came to Camden Yards to play 
    the Orioles. Then he pitched for them in Philadelphia, helping the 
    Dodgers, and soon they became better hitters of left-handed 
    pitchers.
        If it had not been for yesterday's rework of the schedule 
    because of rain, I understand he would have been doing the same 
    thing for the Dodgers in the Phillies' new stadium. So that is a 
    remarkable side of Charlie that I did not know about at all.
        Mr. Speaker, as he leaves here, our outgoing Parliamentarian is 
    going to be working with the recently retired Clerk of the British 
    House of Commons, William McKay, on an updated comparative book on 
    Parliament and Congress. Charlie's appreciation of the value of 
    comparative studies through his work with counterparts in other 
    countries, especially with that Mother of all Parliaments, has 
    played an essential role in the development of programs of mutual 
    exchange. You have

[[Page 539]]

    heard that already referenced. People on every continent know 
    Charlie Johnson because they have worked with him in their 
    parliamentary efforts. So he is going to be working with Sir 
    William in that respect.
        Mr. Speaker, if it were consistent with American tradition, we 
    would make you Sir Charles. But, nevertheless, we know that this is 
    going to be another major contribution and it has some impact here. 
    As you leave the House, Charlie Johnson should feel good to know 
    that the recently established Office of Interparliamentary Exchange 
    reflects his interest in improving not only the conduct of 
    activities here in this parliament but in parliaments around the 
    world.

                                {time}  1100

        So Charlie Johnson, best wishes to you and your family. Thank 
    you for your public service and your service to the U.S. House of 
    Representatives. You will be greatly missed.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
    Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
        Mr. [David R.] OBEY. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry, is it 
    correct that the Speaker accepted Mr. Johnson's resignation?
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman is 
    correct.
        Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the chair.
        Mr. Speaker, I often refer to Archie the cockroach. This is my 
    political bible, and Archie has something for almost every 
    occasion. One thing he said once was ``Boss, I believe the 
    millennium will come, but there is a long list of people who have 
    to go first.'' I think Charlie misunderstood. Charlie, Archie was 
    not talking about you, and I hope you reconsider.
        Mr. Speaker, for 40 years Charlie has been at the center of 
    every effort of this institution to live up to the responsibility 
    which it has to the oldest democracy in the world. Democracy can 
    thrive only when all of our citizens believe that there is at least 
    one place, some forum to which they can go in order to make their 
    case and to have their arguments heard. They do not have to win, 
    but they have to know that there is a place where they will receive 
    a fair hearing. When that happens, democracy thrives; and when it 
    does not, democracy dies a little.
        I think more than anyone in this institution, Charlie Johnson 
    has dedicated himself to see to it that on this floor, democracy 
    thrives. He has been dedicated to the proposition that the rules 
    ought to be applied in a way that enabled the majority to meet 
    their responsibilities to govern and at the same time to enable the 
    minority to offer and be heard on its alternative visions.
        To the extent that the House has on occasion not been used that 
    way, the fault certainly does not lie on the shoulders of Charlie 
    Johnson. Charlie Johnson, I think, has met his responsibility to 
    the institution, to the country, to both political parties; and we 
    are all the better for it.
        I know people have said a lot of good things about him today, 
    and I know that on occasions like this people often exaggerate. For 
    instance, I understand that Charlie's own wife was watching this on 
    C-SPAN, and she heard so many good things about him that she

[[Page 540]]

    rushed to the Chamber to see if we were talking about the same 
    fellow. We are, Charlie. We are all talking about you. If Dick 
    Bolling were here, who was my mentor in this place and who as a 
    Member I think knew more about the rules than any other Member I 
    ever knew, if Dick Bolling were here today, he would say, ``Well 
    done, thou good and faithful servant.''
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 \1/2\ minutes to the 
    gentleman from Savannah, Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the very 
    distinguished vice chairman of the Republican Conference.
        Mr. [Jack] KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to say a few remarks 
    about our great friend and departing parliamentarian. If Members 
    think about the world we live in today and all the technology and 
    all the feats of engineering, we take so much for granted. We get 
    in our cars, and our cars are almost a mechanical and a computer 
    platform now, and we never marvel, we never question. We just flip 
    a switch, and we expect something to happen. We take it all for 
    granted.
        That is somewhat how we are as we come down to the floor of the 
    House. As 435 independent contractors, we come down here and we 
    expect bills to be on the table, we expect to have a learned staff 
    who can ask why a certain amendment was germane and why it was 
    allowed and why it was not allowed. We expect to have some 
    professionals who can keep their eyes on our distinguished brethren 
    and sisters on the Committee on Rules, for example.
        We need a neutral body as our motions flow that can say this is 
    how the procedure must go on. And I think the House should be very 
    proud of what Charlie and his entire team have done and all of the 
    staff members that make this body click. Lord knows what would 
    happen if we did not have this. We might look like the U.S. Senate.
        I do not know if my words will be taken down, Charlie. I know 
    there is a whole list of things I am not supposed to say. For 
    example, I cannot turn to my friend, David Obey or John Lewis and 
    say, John. I have to say my distinguished friend from. Right now, 
    this is like fingernails going against a blackboard. He keeps 
    Members like me who can be somewhat flippant, who might say the 
    wrong thing, who may deserve to have words taken down. He is the 
    guy who says I may agree with what he just said about the fellow 
    Member of the House, I might agree with his politics, I might 
    disagree, but I am going to stick with the rule books. We need to 
    have somebody like that. And he keeps people like the gentleman 
    from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) watching that clock.
        There was a great TV commercial of Motel 6 years ago. Tom 
    Bodett made famous the line, ``I am going to keep the light on for 
    you.'' I always liked that because my mom would keep the light on 
    for us when we were teenagers going home because the light 
    represented security, the light represented home and wisdom and 
    fairness. Charlie has kept the light on for all of us for many, 
    many years, a source of wisdom, a source of fairness, a bright spot 
    no matter what the legislative agenda of the day was; and we thank 
    Charlie for all of his hard work.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
    California (Mr. Waxman).

[[Page 541]]

        Mr. [Henry A.] WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, so much of the time in this 
    institution in recent years has been partisan, rancorous comments 
    back and forth, difficult feelings among the Members; and this 
    year, which is an election year, has exacerbated all of that. So it 
    is important to note that Democrats and Republicans are joined 
    together because what we are all experiencing is a significant loss 
    for this institution, for the people's House, the House of 
    Representatives.
        Charlie Johnson has served as an integral part of the 
    legislative process, and I feel privileged to have had the 
    opportunity to work with him over the years. We have been the 
    beneficiaries of his intellect, thoughtfulness, and integrity time 
    and time again. Several years ago, Charlie noted that his 
    predecessor, William Brown, had set a standard of ``intellectual 
    vigor, sharing of information, and a sharing of responsibility with 
    a grace that was accompanied by a total devotion to the House of 
    Representatives.'' Charlie has more than met that standard.
        He does serve an important role, but it is more than just the 
    role he serves. He has embodied the person that all of us can look 
    to as one who will judge the issues with fairness based on the 
    rules, based on the idea that laws govern not just individuals, and 
    that when he makes his determination on all of the precedents and 
    the exact wording of the rules, we know that is the course that we 
    all have to agree to.
        I came here from the California State legislature, and I think 
    many legislatures are like this, the speaker has complete control. 
    The speaker gets to appoint the Members to the committees and the 
    chairmen, and assigns the members' offices and staff, and the 
    speaker can make the rulings, and it is the speaker's authority 
    alone to make the rulings.
        So when I came here, I was surprised to find out that the 
    Speaker could not just make a decision that benefited those of us 
    on a certain side of the issue. He had to go to Charlie Johnson to 
    find out what the rules were, and he had to abide by that decision.
        I have come to realize how important that is for an institution 
    to be able to have someone with such integrity and knowledge that 
    we can look to to be the final say on what the rules are because we 
    have to follow the rules in this institution and in a country that 
    looks to the rule of law as essential.
        I have come to recognize that as important, just as I have come 
    over the years to recognize even the importance of seniority, which 
    I more and more appreciate the longer I am here.
        I want to say that I have not only benefited from Charlie's 
    wisdom and advice but from his friendship. I have not had the 
    opportunity to travel with him. Maybe now that Charlie is leaving, 
    we will have to go on an Elder Hostel trip together because we are 
    advancing in age. He has been a terrific friend to me, someone I 
    have tremendous respect for, and it is shared by everyone in this 
    institution. He is certainly going to be missed.
        This is a change that many of us hoped we would not see, not 
    only with Charlie's absence but a change in his guidance for all of 
    us; and I join all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, 
    liberals and conservatives, in supporting this resolution to thank 
    him for a job well done.

[[Page 542]]

        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 \1/2\ minutes to the 
    gentleman from Buffalo, New York (Mr. Quinn), another Member who 
    unfortunately has chosen to retire at the end of this term.
        Mr. [Jack] QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues 
    this morning, mostly in leadership positions, who have come to the 
    floor this morning, Charlie, to talk about your wisdom and fairness 
    and work ethnic; and I want to associate myself with their remarks, 
    of course. But I am one of those dozens of the Speaker pro 
    tempores. Charlie has made us all look good, both on C-SPAN and 
    back home for our constituents, and for our colleagues here in the 
    Chamber.
        I was in the chair one day and some rule question came up. 
    After I answered it, my mother called me on the phone and said, 
    ``How did you know all of those rules so quickly?''
        I said, ``It was easy, Charlie Johnson was there.''
        She said, ``Who is he?''
        I said, ``Well, he is the guy that does the trick. He talks 
    into the microphone so you hear him, but so nobody else hears him, 
    and he explains the rules.''
        Charlie, on behalf of all of the Speaker pro tempores, some 
    with a little more experience than others, who you have made look 
    good across the country and in front of our colleagues, I want to 
    thank you for knowing those rules, for sharing those rules, and for 
    keeping this place a place of order when we are in the chair trying 
    to keep order.
        I guess the trick for you then and your staff is to be heard, 
    but not to be heard when you do your job best. And I would submit 
    to my colleagues here in the Chamber that we all can take a lesson 
    from this gentleman as he leaves us. When we do our business, we 
    should try to be heard, and maybe not be heard so loud during those 
    times of emotion, during those times of debate, during those times 
    of political arguments, to be heard, of course, but to not be 
    heard. And Charlie, for that service to us as that group of people 
    that chair these sessions, and on behalf of all our constituents 
    across the country, I want to say thanks for a job well done. We 
    appreciate it. We will always remember you.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
    South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).
        Mr. [John M.] SPRATT [Jr.]. Mr. Speaker, I have served in the 
    House for more than half of the 40 years that Charlie Johnson has 
    served as Parliamentarian. As a matter of fact, I had just become a 
    Member of the House with no more than 3 weeks of experience when I 
    wandered onto the floor one day, having mistaken the bells and 
    thought there was about to be a vote.
        Before I could get off the floor and go back about my business, 
    Charlie beckoned me to the chair; and the next thing I knew I was 
    wielding the gavel, presiding over the House, never having done 
    that before in my life. I was never more thankful to have someone 
    who knew what he was doing sitting behind me whispering 
    instructions, and I have been thankful ever since that Charlie 
    Johnson was in that position.

                                {time}  1115

        For all those 22 years that I have known him, his chair behind 
    the Speaker, his office across the hall have

[[Page 543]]

    been sources of civility in a House that is often contentious, 
    sometimes bitter and pugnacious and embattled. For all those years, 
    the Parliamentarian has been an authority that everyone in this 
    House, both sides of the aisle, have recognized and respected 
    because his rulings and his advice and his good judgment have 
    always been based on precedent and on sound thinking.
        His office made him powerful. Anyone who became the 
    Parliamentarian of the House would be powerful inherently, but his 
    knowledge, his ability and his manner made him authoritative. The 
    House could not be the House that the Framers intended us to be, 
    the people's House, without sometimes passionate, hard-hitting 
    debate; but the House could not operate in that mode, sometimes 
    pushing the envelope of civility, without a referee that everybody 
    trusted and respected. For a long, long time, Charlie has been such 
    a referee.
        My respect for Charlie Johnson on our side, the Democratic side 
    of the aisle, was established over the years and well-founded, but 
    his great ability, his inherent decent fairness, was recognized to 
    his credit and theirs when our Republican colleagues moved into the 
    majority and made him their Parliamentarian, too. He proved his 
    fairness, his basic inherent fairness, by serving both parties 
    without ever breaking stride. I do not think anyone in the years 
    that I have served here has ever accused him of bending with 
    partisan winds. Charlie Johnson has called them the way he saw them 
    for the last 40 years.
        The House of Representatives is losing, we should not fool 
    ourselves, a huge amount of institutional memory with the loss and 
    retirement of Charlie Johnson. Four decades in the 
    Parliamentarian's office, 10 years as Chief Parliamentarian, and 
    during all those 40 years he has embodied those qualities that we 
    need most in a parliamentarian: erudition and evenhandedness, great 
    authority and great good humor, too, and overall a keen 
    understanding of this great institution of the Republic.
        He has made the people's House deserve its name. He has helped 
    us make this complex system that we call democracy work and work 
    well.
        Though he is leaving, he leaves behind him a legacy that will 
    inform the proceedings of this House for a long time to come, and 
    he is leaving a well-trained staff of Parliamentarians.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The time of the gentleman 
    from Texas (Mr. Frost) has expired.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent, in light of 
    the fact that we have so many requests to talk about Charlie, that 
    we extend the debate on this for an additional 5 minutes; and I 
    would like to yield that 5 minutes to the control of my friend from 
    Dallas, Texas (Mr. Frost).
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Mr. LaHood). Without objection, there 
    will be an additional 5 minutes.
        There was no objection.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 additional seconds to the 
    gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).
        Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I remember when John Sullivan was 
    first appointed and moved from the House Committee on Armed 
    Services. The day after he took his office as the Deputy 
    Parliamentarian, the staff on the

[[Page 544]]

    House Committee on Armed Services concocted a convoluted 
    parliamentary problem, which I presented to him as an innocent 
    junior Member of the House, which John was immediately stumped by 
    before he realized that it was all a hoax. Today, if we presented 
    him that Gordian knot, I think he could probably cut it.
        Charlie, you have taught us not just the procedures of the 
    House and taught us well, but you have taught us the reasons that 
    those rules must prevail. That is a legacy that will last for a 
    long, long time. I think the brooding omnipresence of Charlie 
    Johnson will loom over this House for a long time to come.
        Thank you for everything you have done for us and this great 
    institution.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the 
    gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry), who often presides very ably 
    over this institution.
        Mr. [Mac] THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, Members come to this 
    Congress with a policy agenda or a political agenda. We spend our 
    time and effort trying to make some change we think is good for the 
    country. Yet there is something bigger and more enduring than any 
    one of us or any one of our issues. That something is the 
    institution of the House of Representatives.
        I believe that every elected Member has a responsibility to 
    that institution, but it is the professionals who serve as the 
    officers and staff of the House that make sure it is preserved and 
    protected. They serve the House and the Nation day and night 
    through heated debates and even through long, dull special orders.
        Nobody has served this House more faithfully and more nobly 
    than our Parliamentarian, Charles Johnson. He is smart and 
    insightful as his job required, but he also has the integrity to be 
    trusted by both sides of the aisle during heated debate and 
    controversial rulings. He has a sense of history and, I think, a 
    sense of responsibility for this institution going back 217 years 
    to the Constitutional Convention on through today and on through 
    generations to come.
        The House has been in good hands during Charlie Johnson's 
    tenure, and part of his legacy, part of his lasting influence, will 
    be felt through his successor. I join in expressing sadness at his 
    leaving, but also admiration and gratitude for his service.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
    Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
        Mr. [John] LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my 
    colleagues in paying tribute to and saying a word of thank you to 
    Charles Johnson, the distinguished Parliamentarian of the House of 
    Representatives.
        This is my 18th year of serving in this House, and this Member 
    can testify to the fact that Charles Johnson has been a fair, 
    hardworking, committed and dedicated public servant. When new 
    Members were given the chance to preside over the House, he was 
    always patient and eager to help Members make it through the 
    process. The House is a better House, and the country is a better 
    country because of Charles Johnson.
        It is my belief that when historians pick up their pens and 
    write the history of this House during the latter

[[Page 545]]

    part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, 
    they will have to write that a man called Charles Johnson made a 
    lasting contribution to maintaining order and peace in this House.
        But he did more than maintain order and peace with his talents, 
    skills and ability. He helped guide this House through some of the 
    most important and sometimes bitter debates and discussions. 
    Charles Johnson has helped guide this House through the discussion 
    and debate on voting rights, civil rights, Medicare, the Higher 
    Education Act, war and peace.
        I want to join my colleagues to thank Charles Johnson for all 
    of his good work and for his contribution toward the strengthening 
    of our democracy. Charles Johnson, Mr. Parliamentarian, we wish you 
    well in the days and years to come.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 1 minute to 
    the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
        Mr. [Steven C.] LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, when we are all here 
    on the floor, there are often calls for regular order. The fellow 
    who has kept regular order has been Charlie Johnson during my 10 
    years.
        A lot of platitudes have been spoken and they are all well 
    deserved. I want to extend my voice in saying thanks for giving me 
    the guidance when I have had the honor of presiding over the House 
    from time to time.
        I do want to tell just one quick story in the minute that I 
    have been given because the majority leader made sort of a joke 
    about the 3-hour vote on prescription drugs and some Members in the 
    House, when they scream regular order, because we are all busy, we 
    do not take time to read the rules, do not know that the votes are 
    a minimum of 15 minutes and not a maximum of 15 minutes.
        But I can recall during a rather contentious vote the 
    Republicans were up 206-204 and time had expired. A rather excited 
    Member from the West Coast, California, came running up, it was not 
    the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), and said, ``You've got 
    to close this thing down. We have to win this vote. You need to 
    shut it down.''
        We looked and saw that earlier in the day 420 Members had 
    voted, we were about 10 Members short; it was late in the evening, 
    everybody was out having dinner, coming back; it was raining in the 
    Capital. Charlie Johnson then said, ``When you're in the minority, 
    you understand that you're not going to win a lot of votes here, 
    and when you're in the majority you can and probably should win 
    most votes, but what you can't do when you're in the majority is 
    steal a vote. We need to keep this vote open to make sure that 
    those 10 Members who voted just a half an hour ago have the 
    opportunity to be here and cast their ballots.''
        We wound up winning and the Member on that occasion who was 
    excited came up later and apologized for screaming. Charlie Johnson 
    has been fair, fair to the Republicans, fair to the Democrats, and 
    I shall miss him very much.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
    Maryland (Mr. Cardin).
        Mr. [Benjamin L.] CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I take this time to say 
    thank

[[Page 546]]

    you to Charlie Johnson for his public service. He has never been 
    elected as a Member of this body, but he has had as much influence 
    as anyone who has ever been elected to this House in preserving the 
    traditions of this great democratic institution, and I thank him 
    for that. His contributions go well beyond the 40 years of service 
    because what he has done in his service will be a lasting tradition 
    in this body and will serve future generations.
        He cannot duck a single tough issue, but he has ruled every 
    time on the basis of sound precedent without partisan 
    considerations. He is a person of the highest integrity, an 
    encyclopedic mind, a person who is totally committed to our country 
    and this legislative body.
        Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to take this 1 minute as one Member 
    of this body to thank Charlie Johnson for what he has done to make 
    this great institution a better place for the future.
        I thank you, I thank you for your friendship, and I thank you 
    for your commitment.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to 
    my good friend, the gentleman from Atlanta, Georgia (Mr. Isakson).
        Mr. [Johnny] ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I, first of all, associate 
    myself with all the kind remarks that have been made about Charlie, 
    but I thought back to my first day here. I was elected on a special 
    election, came in, I knew no one, and it was a hustle and bustle. 
    Charlie Johnson was the guy who got me through that in what was a 
    blur to me.
        Secondly, I am reminded of how great this institution is, and I 
    am reminded of three silent factors the public never sees. First is 
    the sconce of Moses that looks down upon the Speaker as an 
    inanimate object, but as a constant reminder of the integrity we 
    all need. Second is our Founding Father, George Washington, whose 
    portrait hangs on this side of our Capitol to remind us of where we 
    come from.
        The third silent but very present, day in and day out, person 
    that guides the integrity of this most important institution is the 
    quiet but effective leadership of Charlie Johnson. This institution 
    has been blessed to have leaders of great capability from elected 
    office, but from that seat next to the Speaker, we have been 
    blessed to have a man who has the excellent commitment to fairness, 
    integrity, responsibility and the preservation of this Republic, 
    and that is Charlie Johnson.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
    from New York (Mr. McNulty).
        Mr. [Michael R.] McNULTY. Mr. Speaker I am honored to stand 
    here today and associate myself with the remarks of Speaker Hastert 
    and Leader Pelosi and all of the other Members in thanking Charlie 
    Johnson for his 40 years of outstanding service to the House of 
    Representatives and to the country.
        When I first came to the Congress in the 1980s, I served on a 
    regular basis as one of the Speaker pro tems. At that time I knew 
    very little about parliamentary procedure and almost nothing about 
    the House rules. I thank Charlie and my friend the late Bill Brown 
    and John and Tom and Muftiah and Gay and all of the others who 
    helped through the years to educate

[[Page 547]]

    me about the House rules and to have that wonderful experience 
    which, incidentally, I hope I have again someday.
        Charlie, I would sum it up this way: You are the very 
    definition of outstanding public service. I wish you good health 
    and happiness for many, many years to come.

                                 general leave

        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, we have many, many Members who want to 
    have an opportunity to be heard on this and so, at this moment, I 
    am going to ask unanimous consent that general leave be provided so 
    that all Members may include statements in the Record upon Charlie 
    Johnson's retirement.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from California?
        There was no objection.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my friend 
    from Texas (Mr. Frost) be given an additional 1 \1/2\ minutes for 
    debate.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from California?
        There was no objection.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to my 
    very, very good friend, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson).
        Mr. [Michael K.] SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman 
    for yielding me this time.
        Charlie, we are certainly going to miss you. Sometimes that 
    does not seem like enough, but all of the Members of the House and 
    the fellow staff members here in the House are certainly going to 
    miss you. Sometimes simple words are the best.
        Parliamentary procedure, as has been stated here, the Rules of 
    the House equally and uniformly applied to all, are what make this 
    emotional and sometimes polarized place work. Charlie and I have 
    sometimes disagreed about the interpretation of those rules and we 
    have debated it a little bit. Yielding to the superior wisdom of 
    Charlie, I found out that you can end debate with a nondebatable 
    motion here in the House, but if we were back in Idaho, you could 
    not do that. We have had some very interesting debates.
        I always found, when I practiced dentistry, that when I was 
    hiring a new chairside assistant, it was sometimes often easier to 
    hire somebody that had no experience because then you did not have 
    to untrain them before you retrained them. Sometimes I think 
    Charlie's toughest job here is to take some of us who have been 
    presiding officers in State legislatures and untrain us of the 
    rules that we learned in our State legislatures before he retrained 
    us about the Rules of the House.
        I know that you have done a fantastic job. We have all enjoyed 
    working with you. Sometimes the measure of an individual's 
    performance is what those around him think about the job that he 
    has done. As I have talked to other staff members here, I can tell 
    you one of the things that was said yesterday, someone said, ``If I 
    had to think of one word to describe Charlie, it would be 
    `integrity.''' That is not a bad legacy to leave.
        Thank you, Charlie. We are going to miss you.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
    from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

[[Page 548]]

        Mr. [Bill] PASCRELL. Charlie, you have served your country and 
    you have served this wonderful House. At a time when we have lost 
    something in terms of ritual and ceremony, you have always brought 
    us back to reality.

                                {time}  1130

        Thomas Jefferson, I am sure, would be very proud of you. Our 
    laws and our rules are based upon what he wrote.
        We were brought together 8 years ago when I came into this 
    House by a mutual friend. It was the right move. The first person I 
    met on this floor was Charlie Johnson.
        And I know you have wished well your successor. I know he will 
    do well. I know John will do very well. This is a great 
    institution, Charlie, and we will never forget how you served your 
    country.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
    Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
        Mr. [Earl] BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, we have talked about the 
    contribution that our friend Charlie Johnson has made to the rules 
    of the House, and that he has provided the context to understand 
    the rules. But I think the thing that I have come to appreciate is 
    the human face that he puts on it. It is the dimension provided by 
    the outstanding men and women who make this place work behind the 
    scenes, that we all come to appreciate.
        Charlie, you epitomize those people; and ultimately it is that 
    human face that is going to provide the strength to make sure that 
    the House follows through on the path that you have charted so ably 
    in the past 40 years. We greatly appreciate your contributions.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
    from Peoria, Illinois (Mr. LaHood), who, as has been pointed out, 
    time and time again so ably presides over this institution as 
    Speaker pro tempore.
        Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I think people watching this would 
    find it kind of odd that I would have to step down off the podium 
    in order to speak, but Charlie would never allow me to speak from 
    up there because it is not according to the rules of the House.
        And I think people would find it odd that Charlie cannot speak 
    today. Charlie has spoken many, many times on this floor through 
    those of us who have had the great opportunity and privilege to 
    serve as Speaker pro tempore. But it is not according to the rules. 
    And if it is not according to the rules, it does not happen. And if 
    it is not according to the rules by Charlie Johnson, it does not 
    happen.
        I was quoted in CQ as saying that Charlie runs the House, and I 
    hope our leadership does not take offense at that; but Charlie 
    really has run the House for many years, and thank goodness for 
    that.
        I think many people do not realize that in 1994 not one of us 
    in the majority presided. When we were sworn in in 1995, not one of 
    us in the majority had ever presided over the House. And if it were 
    not for the magnificent work of Charlie and his entire staff, think 
    of the chaos that could be created when we turn over an entire 
    House to a new majority of people who obviously maybe know a little 
    bit about

[[Page 549]]

    the rules but not much. And if it were not for the great work of 
    Charlie and all of his people, think of the kind of chaos.
        And we were dealing with some really important issues here. I 
    know you do not like to hear about the Contract with America, but 
    that was the agenda for 3 months, and that was major legislation. 
    And we could not have done it, and those of us who had the 
    privilege early on of presiding could have never done it. It would 
    not have been possible for us if we had not really paid attention 
    to Charlie Johnson and the people that work in his office, and they 
    really are the ones that allow us to do the things that we were 
    able to do throughout the 10 years that we have been in the 
    majority.
        When people say to me, How did you get so good at presiding? It 
    is a very simple answer. I listened to Charlie Johnson. That is the 
    answer. And when one listens to Charlie, they get good advice.
        I want to say one word about these jobs that we have: we could 
    not do without the kind of spouses that allow us to do them, and I 
    want to say a word about Martha. Martha is here.
        And, Martha, I want to say to you, thank you for giving us this 
    extraordinary human being who has given us so much. We are in your 
    debt for the kind of, I think, tolerance that you have lent to the 
    job that Charlie has done, the long nights, the late nights, and 
    the good work.
        Charlie, job well done. Godspeed.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
    from Washington (Mr. Baird).
        Mr. [Brian] BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on the night of September 11, I 
    began to think about what might happen if this institution were to 
    perish in an attack, and I asked, who should we talk to to learn 
    the answer to that question? And the answer to that was Charlie 
    Johnson.
        Charlie, I want to thank you and your entire staff for your 
    help on that issue but, more importantly, for how you help us every 
    single day.
        People around the country see us disagree and bicker all the 
    time here, and they say is there not anything you people can agree 
    on? Today, my friends, we have agreed on something. We have agreed 
    to honor this magnificent individual, his service to our country 
    and the principle of the rules that keep our democracy, our 
    Republic, and this great body functioning.
        I thank you, Charlie, and I thank my colleagues for their great 
    words today. Godspeed, Charlie.
        Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
    from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
        Mr. [Ron] KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
    me this time.
        Charlie, they say that politics is a sea of conflict. If that 
    is true, then you have been the steady hand that has guided this 
    ship of state, our democratic process, through so many years of 
    calm and troubled waters. You will be missed. We have appreciated 
    your service. You are the epitome of what public service is all 
    about.
        And, as I encouraged Terry just before his retirement, and I 
    have enjoyed the conversations that we have had in regards to the 
    tradition and the history and the culture of this place, I 
    encourage you to record your memories and

[[Page 550]]

    maybe put it in book form to share with the rest of the world 
    because in so many ways, you are also the repository of a lot of 
    the knowledge and memories that are embodied in this place.
        So we all wish you well today. We wish you Godspeed and may you 
    have a very long and happy and healthy retirement. Thank you.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman 
    from Georgia (Mr. Linder), the chairman of the Subcommittee on 
    Technology and the House of the Committee on Rules.
        Mr. [John] LINDER. Mr. Speaker, when the Republican transition 
    occurred in December of 1994, I was charged with the responsibility 
    of interviewing people and finding hires for the top five positions 
    in the House, and one of those was Parliamentarian. I frankly came 
    at it with some suspicion. If someone could be working so long for 
    the other party in control, could that person be fair? And he 
    convinced me over two meetings that his job was not to be fair or 
    unfair, but to know the rules. He has proven that he does, with an 
    even hand; and I join all my colleagues in thanking him in his 
    service to his country.
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
    consume.
        I would like to close again by expressing appreciation on 
    behalf of all of the many staff members here in this institution 
    who work so closely with Charlie Johnson, all of those who are 
    working for us here today and the members of committee staffs and 
    personal staffs who have worked so closely with him.
        And I would like to close by sharing with our colleagues a note 
    that was handed to me a few minutes ago. It says: ``Dear Charlie, 
    thanks for your 40 years of service to the House and our country. I 
    wish you all the best. Keep your arm loose. We may need to call you 
    in from the bullpen.'' This is a handwritten note from the 
    President of the United States, George W. Bush, which I will give 
    to you, Charlie, as soon as we have the resolution. . . .
        Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, 
    and I move the previous question on the resolution.
        The previous question was ordered.
        The resolution was agreed to.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

To the Legislative Counsel

Sec. 10.6 The Legislative Counsel, Ward M. Hussey, and the Deputy 
    Legislative Counsel, Lawrence E. Filson, were paid tribute on the 
    occasion of their respective retirements on the same day.

    On Mar. 1, 1989,(1) Speaker pro tempore Earl Hutto, of 
Florida, laid before the House the resignation of its Legislative 
Counsel, Ward M. Hussey, and a response thereto from the Speaker, James 
C. Wright, Jr., of Texas. The House then considered and adopted House 
Resolution 97, expressing its gratitude for the service of

[[Page 551]]

Mr. Hussey and for the service of Lawrence E. Filson, who also was 
retiring as Legislative Counsel.(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. 135 Cong. Rec. 3084-87, 101st Cong. 1st Sess.
 2. For the resignation of Ward M. Hussey as Legislative Counsel, see 
        Sec. 9.3, supra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

              RESIGNATION AS LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL OF THE HOUSE OF 
                                REPRESENTATIVES

        The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hutto) laid before the House the 
    following resignation as legislative counsel of the House of 
    Representatives:

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, February 16, 1989.

                                                    Hon. Jim Wright,

                             Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives,

                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Dear Mr. Speaker: I hereby submit my resignation as Legislative 
    Counsel of the United States House of Representatives effective at 
    the close of business February 28, 1989.

              Sincerely yours,

                                                   Ward M. Hussey,

                                              Legislative Counsel.

        The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will read the following 
    communication from the Speaker:
        The Clerk read as follows:

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, February 21, 1989.

                                            Mr. Ward M. Hussey, Esq.

                Legislative Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, 
                                                    Washington, D.C.

        Dear Ward: I have received your letter of February 16, 1989, 
    stating that you shall retire as Legislative Counsel to the House 
    of Representatives effective on February 28, 1989. I accept your 
    resignation with profound appreciation for the devoted service you 
    have rendered since 1946 to the House and its Members and, indeed, 
    to the Nation.
        The Office of Legislative Counsel has come a long way since its 
    origin as the Legislative Drafting Service in 1919. It has become 
    one of the essential institutions of the House, a truth that is 
    ably demonstrated by the nearly universal reliance of Members and 
    committees on its professional services. Especially under your 
    leadership, the Office has flourished as a reservoir of expertise 
    from which Members of the House can draw the nonpartisan advice and 
    assistance that is indispensable to the clear, faithful, and 
    coherent expression of legislative policy. The example you have 
    set, since 1946 as a consummate legislative draftsman and since 
    1972 as the foresighted head of the Office, bespeaks a blend of 
    skill and dedication that, in my expertise, is unsurpassed.
        I know I speak for the entire House of Representatives when I 
    say that you leave here with our admiration, our respect, our 
    gratitude, and our heartfelt wishes for may years of happiness and 
    much success in your future endeavors.

              Sincerely,

                                                       Jim Wright,

         The Speaker.                          -------------------

         EXPRESSING GRATITUDE OF THE HOUSE FOR THE SERVICE OF WARD M. 
                         HUSSEY AND LAWRENCE E. FILSON

        Mr. [Dan] ROSTENKOWSKI [of Illinois]. Mr. Speaker, I offer a 
    resolution

[[Page 552]]

    (H. Res. 97) expressing the gratitude of the House of 
    Representatives for the service of Ward M. Hussey and Lawrence E. 
    Filson, and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate 
    consideration.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the resolution.
        The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                                   H. Res. 97

            Whereas Ward M. Hussey was appointed to the Office of the 
        Legislative Counsel in November 1946 and Lawrence E. Filson was 
        appointed to that Office in October 1949;
            Whereas Ward M. Hussey and Lawrence E. Filson have provided 
        83 years of service to the House of Representatives as members 
        of the Legislative Counsel;
            Whereas Ward M. Hussey has served as the Legislative 
        Counsel for 17 years and Lawrence E. Filson has served as the 
        Deputy Legislative Counsel for 17 years;
            Whereas Ward M. Hussey has been the principal draftsman of 
        all the Federal income tax laws beginning before the enactment 
        of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; and
            Whereas Lawrence E. Filson has been the principal draftsman 
        of all major social security laws since 1954, including the 
        original medicare and medicaid and supplementary security 
        income laws, the Congressional Budget Act, and significant 
        housing legislation: Now, therefore, be it
            Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its 
        gratitude to--
            (1) Ward M. Hussey and Lawrence E. Filson for their 
        combined service to the House of 83 years, and
            (2) the Office of the Legislative Counsel for its 70 years 
        of assistance in the drafting of legislation considered by the 
        House.

        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Illinois?
        There was no objection.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
    Rostenkowski] is recognized for 1 hour.
        Mr. ROSTENKOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate, I 
    yield 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Archer], and 
    pending that, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
        Mr. Speaker, the resolution before the House pays a well-
    deserved tribute to two men who are leaving one of the least 
    publicized yet most important offices on Capitol Hill. Yesterday, 
    Ward Hussey, the legislative counsel for the House, and Larry 
    Filson, the deputy counsel, retired. Their combined service in the 
    Office of Legislative Counsel amounts to a total of 83 years. Their 
    contribution to the work of the House of Representatives is 
    immeasurable.
        The Legislative Counsel Office is one of the most important and 
    respected on Capitol Hill. The House depends on the office at every 
    stage of the legislative process: From the drafting of a bill for 
    introduction to the final version of conference agreements. It is 
    there that our decisions are translated into statutory language. 
    The Office of Legislative Counsel enjoys a reputation for 
    professionalism and fairness that is unrivaled on Capitol Hill. 
    Ward Hussey and Larry Filson helped establish the office's 
    tradition of excellence.
        Ward Hussey joined the Office of Legislative Counsel in 1946 
    after his World War II service in Okinawa. His service experience 
    setting up a postal system for civilians led him to consider

[[Page 553]]

    a job with the Government. This in turn led to a lifetime of public 
    service and personal sacrifice.
        Ward has often told us how difficult it was in those early days 
    when, as the most junior staff person in the office, he would 
    always get the last carbon copy from the old typewriters: A copy so 
    faint and smeared that it was barely readable. But Ward persevered, 
    and on March 1, 1972, he became only the fourth House Legislative 
    Counsel since the office was established in 1918.
        The Committee on Ways and Means has come to know Ward as the 
    country's most knowledgeable expert on the Internal Revenue Code, 
    but when he first joined the staff, he did not work on tax 
    legislation. In fact, early in his career he helped draft the 
    Marshall Plan, and its statement of purposes, which established the 
    framework for the rebuilding of post-war Europe.
        In 1952, however, he began to work exclusively on tax 
    legislation. This occurred, in Ward's own words, because no one 
    else in the office wanted to work on tax bills. Knowing of the many 
    frustrations to be encountered in this area, I can understand why 
    no one wanted to draft tax legislation.
        Soon after becoming the ``tax man'' at legislative counsel, 
    Ward began a 9-month effort rewriting the entire Internal Revenue 
    Code. His product became the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Thirty-
    two years, and many tax bills later, Ward once again rewrote the 
    entire Tax Code when he directed the drafting of the Tax Reform Act 
    of 1986. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 has a very special meaning for 
    me. Its enactment would have been impossible without the expertise 
    and energy of Ward Hussey and his staff.
        Larry Filson, a graduate of Park College and Columbia Law 
    School, joined the Office of Legislative Counsel on October 1, 
    1949. He became assistant counsel in 1952 and deputy legislative 
    counsel in 1972. Larry has drafted legislation in many areas of 
    Federal law, using in his early days a now antique Royal manual 
    typewriter.
        A sampler of the landmark laws that reflect Larry's drafting 
    skill would include--
        (1) All of the major Social Security laws since 1954, including 
    the original Medicare, Medicaid, and supplemental security income 
    laws,
        (2) The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958,
        (3) The Congressional Budget Act of 1974,
        (4) The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Acts of both 1985 and 1987, and 
    most recently,
        (5) The Family Support Act of 1988.
        Over the years, countless members and their legislative 
    assistants have not only been helped, they've been saved because of 
    Larry's expertise. Many a stalled legislative drafting session has 
    been salvaged by Larry taking a draw of his pipe and saying, ``I 
    think what you're really trying to do is this.'' As if by magic, 
    the right words would appear.
        Mr. Speaker, it is a rare occasion for the House to adopt a 
    resolution of this sort, but I can think of no more deserving 
    recipients of this honor. The careers of Ward Hussey and Larry 
    Filson are an example of public service at its finest. I know that 
    all of my colleagues join me in thanking them for their service to 
    their country and to this House.

[[Page 554]]

        Ward, Larry, we will miss you and we wish you all the best.

                                {time}  1440

        Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
        Mr. [Bill] ARCHER [of Texas]. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
    time as I may consume.
        Mr. Speaker, I'm very grateful for this opportunity to join 
    Chairman Rostenkowski in offering this resolution honoring Ward 
    Hussey and Larry Filson.
        Their retirement today from the Office of Legislative Counsel 
    is indeed a reflective occasion for those of us who have worked 
    with these two gentlemen over the years.
        Yes, it gives us a great chance to say a heartfelt ``thank 
    you'' to these men who absolutely epitomize what it means to toil 
    in the background. It also, however, represents a sad moment, when 
    we must witness the passing of an era.
        ``Ward Hussey'' and ``Larry Filson'' are not household names in 
    this country * * * and, unfortunately, relatively few Americans 
    will ever know about the contributions that they have both made to 
    this Nation during their distinguished careers.
        That's the way they wanted it. In fact--in an interview several 
    years ago--Ward commented that one of the specifications for his 
    job is a ``passion for anonymity.''
        That may be a rare commodity in the Nation's Capital, but, in 
    truth, it's one of the noble traits of these two men--which allowed 
    Ward and Larry to be so successful in carrying out their 
    responsibilities.
        They are, and have been throughout their long careers, true 
    professionals who epitomize the definition of public service.
        Both of them could have shined in careers in the private 
    sector, and enjoyed far greater financial rewards for their labors.
        They chose instead to focus their brilliance on helping the 
    Congress put into workable language the ideas we generate that 
    affect the lives of all Americans.
        Described by a close friend of mine as the quintessential wise 
    man on the Social Security Act, Larry Filson, Deputy Legislative 
    Counsel, has been known to insiders as Mr. Social Security.
        He has drafted all of the major additions to the Social 
    Security Act since the early 1950's.
        That includes the Social Security Disability Program, the 
    Medicare Program, the Supplemental Security Income Program, and, of 
    course, the major Social Security Amendments of 1983.
        Those who have had the pleasure of working with Larry in the 
    late hours of final drafting sessions appreciate not only his 
    expansive program knowledge and professionalism, but also his 
    affable, accommodating nature and his dry wit.
        Larry will be missed by all of us. He is a gentleman and the 
    consummate scholar of the Social Security Act.
        Likewise, no one will ever surpass the knowledge of the 
    International Revenue Code possessed by Ward Hussey, House 
    Legislative Counsel.
        While one of his greatest achievements was the drafting of the 
    post-

[[Page 555]]

    World War II Marshall plan, he is, without a doubt, known now as 
    Mr. Tax Code.
        A key writer of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, he drafted 
    all of the additions to that document, as well as its replacement, 
    the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
        His ability to frame complex tax concepts in simple legislative 
    language is legendary.
        Former tax staffers refer, with reverence, to Ward's way of 
    rising from his chair during a heated debate in a drafting session, 
    going to the chalkboard and outlining, in a now silent room, the 
    essential elements of a solution.
        A significant part of the lasting contributions of these two 
    men will not be found just in the printed words they drafted.
        They also have served as teachers and counselors to other 
    generations of dedicated public servants, who in turn have carried 
    on their commitment to precision in putting legislative action into 
    the written law.
        They never lost sight of the importance of that vital step in 
    carrying out the will of the people, through their elected 
    officials in Congress.
        Ward and Larry, we hope that this Resolution honoring you on 
    the occasion of your retirements, conveys how grateful we and the 
    Nation are for the service you've rendered.
        Neither you, nor your contributions to our Nation, will be 
    forgotten.
        Thank you, and God bless you.
        Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman 
    from California [Mr. Thomas].
        The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hutto). Without objection the 
    gentleman from California [Mr. Thomas] will control the balance of 
    the time.
        There was no objection.

                                {time}  1450

        Mr. ROSTENKOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
    consume to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Pickle].
        Mr. [J.J. (Jake)] PICKLE. Mr. Speaker, it is good that we are 
    going to take this time today to pay our respects to these two 
    senior officials. Some of the people who might be listening to any 
    replay of this might wonder, ``Why would you single out two people 
    when there are hundreds and hundreds of people up here on the 
    Hill?''
        But there are occasions, however, when we should do this, for 
    here are two people who really helped to mold legislation over the 
    years for the betterment of the Republic.
        I marvel at times because I wonder how can we get legislation 
    that we vote on for final passage when we have labored for months 
    and months on a particular bill, formulated a policy, and then said 
    conceptually this is what we have agreed to. We go home at midnight 
    and the next day at noon a 200-page bill is prepared for us to vote 
    on in legal form. Now, that sounds like almost an impossibility, 
    and it is. Sometimes there are little flaws made, but can you 
    imagine the years and years of training it takes to be able to 
    master that type of a project. We could not do it if we did not 
    have veteran people like Ward Hussey and Larry Filson.
        Larry, I know from personal experience, helped us draft the 
    Social Security reform bill of 1983 and has kept

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    with it over the years. We can all be proud that the trust fund is 
    solvent. In fact, unfortunately, it is being looked upon as a 
    potential source of funds for other uses. But we have done a good 
    job with the 1983 legislation and Larry Filson is to be commended.
        Ward Hussey has been here for 43 years. You must have gone back 
    to even before Jamie Whitten came to the Congress, about the same 
    time, so you are older almost than the Capitol Dome.
        Well, it makes us feel good that we have had people who are 
    professional. You two are typical of people who make the Congress 
    look good. You have drafted legislation that has been in the public 
    interest. The Nation is proud of you and those of us who work with 
    you on the committee give you our special thanks.
        Mr. [William M.] Thomas of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 
    myself such time as I may consume.
        I consider myself a junior member of the firm, and so in my 
    remarks I will reflect on what I find to be a constant amazement, 
    and that is those of us who are out front, for example on the Ways 
    and Means Committee, and get all the attention, all of the picture 
    time and all of the ink time in producing what people consider the 
    law of the land, have to understand and appreciate that it is very 
    much like making a movie. Those people who are up there on the 
    screen are only up there on the screen performing a very small part 
    of what puts them up on the screen. What we have had in Ward Hussey 
    and Larry Filson are the finest directors, the finest cameramen, 
    the finest sound men, the finest stage men. They are everything 
    else that makes a motion picture a motion picture.
        When we argue the concept in a tax bill and we do argue the 
    general concepts, they have to take what is sometimes a fairly 
    vague message and not only put it into legislative language, not 
    only make sure that the sound is in synchronization with the 
    picture on the screen, but also make sure that what is said fits in 
    with what is becoming a far more complex world than was the case 
    just a few years ago, and that is if a desired change in one area 
    affects something else that is already on the books, do you fit it 
    in while making it a whole? That is if the sound and picture are in 
    sync, is it in focus? Is the color correct? Are there people on the 
    stage making noises that we do not know about that show up on the 
    film? All of that has been their responsibility, without the 
    credit, without the spotlight, but with the dedication to not only 
    make us look good, but somehow beyond what I consider human 
    resources be virtually infallible in doing that job, not in months, 
    not in weeks, not even sometimes in days, but required to perform 
    within hours and always doing it with no complaint and with total 
    accuracy. Those are the kind of people that are in our employment. 
    We do not often put the spotlight on them.
        I would like to take this opportunity once again in saluting 
    Ward and Larry to reflect on all the other employees who perhaps 
    have not had as critical a job for as long a time, but perform just 
    as admirably.
        So from a junior member of the firm, thank you. I do not know 
    who in the world figured out both of you retiring at the same time, 
    but talk about loss of

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    institutional memory, I am worried about a work product for a few 
    years until we get some people up to speed. Having said that, I 
    know you have trained people underneath you to perform as admirably 
    as you have.
        Thank you for your years, thank you for your contribution, 
    thank you for making us look as good as we are, and as the author 
    says in the book, these folks made it all correct and if there are 
    any mistakes, they are attributable to us, not them.
        Mr. ROSTENKOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
    consume to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Guarini].
        Mr. [Frank J.] GUARINI. Mr. Speaker, let me rise and add my 
    voice to these well-deserved commendations to Ward Hussey and Larry 
    Filson.
        For more than 80 years, they have served this House. They have 
    served our country with distinction. For more than eight decades 
    they have embodied the highest ideal of public service. Often under 
    great pressure and always with integrity and skill, they have 
    served in the front lines of democracy, helping the wheels of 
    government turn.
        Those on the Ways and Means Committee have a special feeling 
    for Larry and Ward. From the Marshall Plan to the Tax Code, from 
    the space program to Social Security, we can see the helpful hand 
    of these two distinguished gentlemen.
        In a free country, it is often the quiet, unheralded voices 
    that give meaning and substance to the ideas of freedom. Others get 
    the credit, while their accomplishments live on in the laws of our 
    land.
        Year after year, day after day, and hour after hour, on law 
    after law, Ward Hussey and Larry Filson have stood on the front 
    lines, and indeed in the trenches.
        My friends, wish you both well. We will miss you. The House 
    will miss you. Our Nation will miss you, your talents, your energy 
    and your skills.
        Today's commendation is a tribute, a statement of appreciation, 
    a statement of thanks. Because of you, America is a better place 
    and our Nation is grateful for your service.
        In a free country that perhaps is the greatest accomplishment 
    and compliment to all or any of our public servants.
        Good luck. We wish you success and happiness in your future 
    endeavors and in your retirement. The best to both you two fine 
    splendid gentlemen. . . .

                                 general leave

        Mr. ROSTENKOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
    Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
    their remarks on House Resolution 97, the resolution now under 
    consideration.
        The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of 
    the gentleman from Illinois?
        There was no objection.
        Mr. [William] THOMAS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back 
    the balance of my time.
        Mr. ROSTENKOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
    time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
        The previous question was ordered.
        The resolution was agreed to.
        A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
                   DESCHLER-BROWN-JOHNSON PRECEDENTS
Ch. 37 

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