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HON. HENRY J. HYDE ÷ z 1924–2007 

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Henry J. Hyde 

LATE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS 

MEMORIAL ADDRESSES AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
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Henry J. Hyde 


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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2008

H. DOC. 110–86 

Memorial Addresses and 

Other Tributes 

HELD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AND SENATE 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

TOGETHER WITH A MEMORIAL SERVICE 

IN HONOR OF 

HENRY J. HYDE 

Late a Representative from Illinois 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

First Session 

÷ 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives: 

Tributes by Representatives: 

Bonner, Jo, of Alabama ............................................................. 36 

Burton, Dan, of Indiana ............................................................ 5 

Buyer, Steve, of Indiana ............................................................ 48 

Costello, Jerry F., of Illinois .................................................... 3, 4, 28 

Crowley, Joseph, of New York ............................................. 37, 39, 45 

Dreier, David, of California ....................................................... 50 

Ehlers, Vernon J., of Michigan ................................................. 31 

Faleomavaega, Eni F.H., of American Samoa ......................... 41 

Franks, Trent, of Arizona .......................................................... 19 

Goodlatte, Bob, of Virginia ........................................................ 17 

Hensarling, Jeb, of Texas .......................................................... 15 

Jackson, Jesse L., Jr., of Illinois ............................................... 46 

King, Steve, of Iowa ................................................................... 51 

LaHood, Ray, of Illinois ............................................................. 10 

Lantos, Tom, of California ......................................................... 47 

Lee, Barbara, of California ........................................................ 7 

Lipinski, Daniel, of Illinois ........................................................ 30 

Lungren, Daniel E., of California ........................................ 33, 40, 42 

Manzullo, Donald A., of Illinois ........................................ 7, 16, 23, 27 

McCollum, Betty, of Minnesota ................................................. 35 

Mica, John L., of Florida ........................................................... 34 

Myrick, Sue Wilkins, of North Carolina ................................... 29 

Pence, Mike, of Indiana ............................................................. 33 

Pitts, Joseph R., of Pennsylvania ............................................. 32 

Rohrabacher, Dana, of California ............................................. 7 

Roskam, Peter J., of Illinois ................................................... 4, 24, 40 

Schakowsky, Janice D., of Illinois ............................................ 31 

Schmidt, Jean, of Ohio .............................................................. 16 

Shimkus, John, of Illinois .......................................................... 12 

Smith, Christopher H., of New Jersey ..................................... 14 

Smith, Lamar, of Texas ............................................................. 29 

Stearns, Cliff, of Florida ............................................................ 3 

Tiahrt, Todd, of Kansas ............................................................. 48 

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, of Florida ................................... 49 

Weldon, Dave, of Florida ........................................................... 4 

Wilson, Joe, of South Carolina .................................................. 27 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Grassley, Chuck, of Iowa ........................................................... 54 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 53 

Memorial Service ...................................................................................... 57 

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[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

HENRY J. HYDE, a 16-term Member of the U.S. House of 

Representatives, served the Sixth District of Illinois, which 

includes O’Hare International Airport and much of the suburban area to its west, the long-settled suburbs due west of 

the Loop: Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, and the newer suburbs along I–290 and Lake Street: 

Bensenville, Addison, Wood Dale, and Bloomingdale. 

Born on April 18, 1924, Mr. HYDE grew up as an Irish 

Catholic Democrat in the Chicago area. He was an all-city 

basketball center. Mr. HYDE attended Georgetown University 

on a basketball scholarship, graduating in 1947 with a bachelor of science degree. He enlisted in the Navy from 1944 to 

1946, where he served at Lingayen Gulf. After the war he 

earned a J.D. from Loyola University in 1949, practiced law 

in Chicago from 1950 to 1975, and served in the Naval Reserves from 1946 to 1968. In 1958 he switched parties, convinced that the Republicans were more in line with his antiCommunist beliefs. He was elected to the Illinois House of 

Representatives in 1966 and served 8 years before joining 

Congress in Washington, DC, in 1974. 

It was in the U.S. Congress that HENRY HYDE first made 

his name as an abortion opponent, attaching to the Appropriations Subcommittee bills his Hyde amendments prohibiting the use of Federal funds to pay for abortions in various 

circumstances. ‘‘I look for the common thread in slavery, the 

Holocaust, and abortion,’’ he said in 1998. ‘‘To me, the common thread is dehumanizing people.’’ In 1976 Congress enacted the first Hyde amendment to an appropriation bill, 

banning abortions financed by Medicaid. It has remained in 

force ever since, though States can spend their own money 

on abortions, and some do. Exceptions for saving the life of 

the mother and victims of rape and incest were added in 

1993. 

Mr. HYDE was one of the few Republicans who supported 

the family leave bill. He opposed assisted suicide and sponsored a bill passed by the House to criminalize the prescription of lethal drugs to terminally ill patients contemplating 

ending their lives. 

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[ vi ] 

In 1994 when the GOP won control of the House, HENRY

HYDE was chosen to chair the Judiciary Committee and 

move much of the party’s socially conservative agenda. Republican-imposed term limits compelled Mr. HYDE to give up 

the Judiciary chairmanship at the start of the 107th Congress, but he was able to leverage his seniority and stature 

to take over the International Relations Committee in 2001, 

where he took on yet another challenge—shepherding Republican foreign policy in a time of international unrest. His 

chairmanship proved challenging, as he took over a committee where he had not had much impact since the arms 

control and Central America policy debates of the 1980s. 

On many occasions Mr. HYDE proved himself one of the 

most eloquent Members of the House. His speeches against 

term limits and in favor of the flag-burning amendment are 

classics. His strong stand on the nuclear freeze resolution 

helped turn the tide on foreign policy in the House in the 

1980s. 

None of these challenges, however, were as great or as 

public as the challenge of serving as prosecutor in the Clinton impeachment trial. From the first, Mr. HYDE realized 

that any impeachment resolution must be bipartisan if it 

were to be credible, but it became clear that many Democrats were determined to defend President Clinton at every 

turn. Democrats resisted his resolution and advanced one of 

their own with time limits and with the requirement that 

Members first vote on the definition of an impeachable offense. In the end all Republicans and 31 Democrats voted for 

the Republican resolution. Mr. HYDE ran the fractious hearings with scrupulous fairness and even with occasional 

humor. His summation to the House was genuinely eloquent. 

Although he convinced the House to impeach President Clinton on two of four counts in 1998, GOP leaders sought to 

bring the 1999 Senate trial to a quick conclusion because it 

was clear they did not have the two-thirds majority needed 

for convictions. 

HENRY HYDE was generally a loyal backer of President 

Bush’s plans for waging the war on terrorism, both at home 

and abroad. Soon after hearing of the terrorist attacks of 

September 11, 2001, he concluded that a lessening of complacency about terrorist threats in the national psyche might be 

the event’s smallest of silver linings. 

Among his colleagues, Mr. HYDE was respected as an oldfashioned wit, one of the sharpest legal minds on Capitol 

Hill, a leading defender of the institution of Congress. He 

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was often the most impressive spokesman in legislative battles, pouncing on flaws in foes’ arguments with all the determination and effectiveness he used as a Chicago trial lawyer. 

Mr. HYDE is survived by his second wife, Judy; three children, Robert (Mindy) of Irving, TX, Anthony (Barbara) of 

North Aurora, IL, and Laura of Chicago, IL; and seven 

grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son, Hank; 

two siblings, Mary and John Hyde; and his first wife of 45 

years, Jeanne M. Simpson-Hyde, who passed away in July 

1992. 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

FOR 

HENRY J. HYDE 

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Proceedings in the House of 

Representatives 

TUESDAY, December 4, 2007 

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 

and accomplishments of a terrific Member, former Congressman HENRY HYDE. He’s often recognized for his wisdom and 

his eloquence of speaking. But, frankly, there were some 

other sides of him that were very precious. He was a man 

of quick wit and a keen sense of humor, to which I was always a willing audience. 

Above all, he was passionately committed to protecting 

and improving the lives of Americans, all Americans, both 

born and the unborn. He was an effective pro-life advocate, 

through prohibiting Federal funding of abortions with the 

Hyde amendment and his advocacy for the ban on partialbirth abortions. Conservative estimates indicate that there 

are about 2 million Americans alive today as a direct result 

of his work. 

HENRY HYDE leaves behind a legacy that inspires and 

challenges those of us who remain behind today. 

My deepest condolences and sympathy to his family, and 

may God bless HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I regret to inform the 

Members that former Congressman HENRY J. HYDE died this 

past Thursday, November 29. HENRY served in the Illinois 

Legislature for 8 years, from 1967 to 1974. HENRY was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and served 

for 32 years until his retirement after the 109th Congress. 

HENRY was both liked and respected by those of us who 

served with him. He chaired both the Judiciary and International Relations Committees, presiding over both with the 

same intelligence and eloquence he brought to all floor debates. Last month, President Bush presented HENRY with 

the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our Nation’s highest civilian honor, for his meritorious service to his country. 

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Members should know that directly after votes this 

evening, Mr. Roskam and I have reserved a special order to 

recognize and remember the service of HENRY HYDE later on 

this evening. Those who want to participate can do so or submit a statement. 

At this time I would yield to my friend from Illinois (Mr. 

Roskam). 

Mr. ROSKAM. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 

Madam Speaker, many of us come to Washington, DC, for 

our first time and we go out and about and we introduce ourselves. And I did that as a candidate, introduced myself to 

people, and they had no interest whatsoever in who I was. 

I tried then to seek a little bit of common ground and tell 

them where I am from. They had no interest whatsoever in 

where I was from. 

And then I didn’t play fair. Then I said to them, I am running to succeed Congressman HYDE. At that moment, the demeanor on every single person changed. They pulled me a 

little bit closer, they grabbed my elbow, and they would say, 

HENRY HYDE, let me tell you about HENRY HYDE. They 

would tell some unbelievable story about how HENRY HYDE

would come down to the well of this Chamber in a packed 

place and with the whole country watching and do what 

great statesmen do, and that was to speak to the great 

weighty issues of the day. Or they would tell me about 

HENRY HYDE and a kindness that he had extended to them 

out of the presence of anybody else, that no one would ever 

know about. 

So it is with a great deal of regret that Mr. Costello and 

I are here announcing the passing of a great man. This great 

man was my predecessor. He was known not only ultimately 

for what he accomplished and what he stood for but I think 

actually who he was. 

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I would ask the House 

to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of our friend, 

HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. WELDON of Florida. Madam Speaker, earlier today in 

this body we observed a minute of silence to honor the great 

life of HENRY HYDE, our distinguished former colleague from 

Illinois. HENRY HYDE clearly established himself in America 

as one of the great defenders of the sanctity of human life. 

He was eloquent on a host of issues in his outstanding rhetorical skills, but perhaps he was most able and capable in 

defending the dignity and sanctity of human life. . . . 

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Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, one of the 

great things that has happened in my political life and serving in Congress is to have known HENRY HYDE. HENRY HYDE

I think was one of the greatest Congressmen to ever serve 

in this Chamber. He was a man of integrity. He was honest. 

When he gave you his word, it was his bond. He was loved 

by everybody. Even during the controversial impeachment 

trial of Bill Clinton, he did it with honor, and he did it in 

a way that everybody respected him even though it was very 

controversial. 

He was a great chairman. He was the chairman of both 

the Judiciary Committee and the International Relations 

Committee, and he did a great job in both areas. I served 

with him on the International Relations Committee and I 

was one of his subcommittee chairmen, and I want to tell 

you, he was a chairman you could be proud of. He was a 

man who was always ready to listen and work with his subcommittee chairmen and anybody in the Congress to solve 

problems facing this Nation. 

He was known best, I think, for the Hyde amendment, 

which stopped Federal funding for abortions, and it has been 

known throughout the time since that bill passed as one of 

the great human life amendments ever presented in this 

body or in the other body as well. He was a fighter. He was 

the kind of man who was very strong willed, who would fight 

like the dickens. But he had a heart that was very soft 

where his fellow man was concerned. When he was on an 

issue, however, he had a heart that was very tough, and everybody that dealt with him knew that. 

He was probably one of the greatest orators who ever 

served in the Congress of the United States in either body. 

When he came down to speak, everybody listened. I know 

when a lot of my colleagues speak today they have to bring 

the gavel down several times to bring the House to order and 

ask for regular order, but when HENRY HYDE came down on 

a great cause and spoke, you could hear a pin drop in this 

place because people knew he had something to say, and 

they wanted to hear what he had to say. 

I am very proud to have known HENRY. I knew him for 

over 20 years in this body. I can’t tell you or any of my colleagues how great he was and how much I held him in high 

esteem. He will be missed not only because he was a great 

Congressman, he will be missed not only because he was a 

great chairman, he will be missed because he was a great 

American. 

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And before I leave, I have to tell you one little story about 

HENRY that he was so proud of. When he went to college at 

Georgetown University, he played on the basketball team. 

And one of the greatest players, if not the greatest player of 

that era, was a man named George Mikan, and HENRY used 

to smile and with great pride tell everybody that when he 

played against George Mikan, in the second half he held him 

to one point. And there aren’t many people who could do 

that. 

In addition to all of this, he authored the staunchest prolife legislation in Congress in 30 years, and headed the impeachment hearings against President Clinton. Either of 

those efforts would naturally incite a whole camp of enemies. 

HENRY HYDE spoke of controversial matters with intellectual honesty and 

without rancor, 

said President Bush. 

He was gifted as a legislator. There was a time when the Illinois House 

was divided evenly and needed 89 votes to pass a bill, and nothing was getting done because of partisan wrangling. People were angry and debilitated. 

HENRY stood up and said he had voted against something just because he 

was on the other side of the aisle, and asked the House to reconsider the 

last bill on its merits. They wound up going back to the last 32 bills that 

had failed, and he brought people back into an atmosphere of wanting to 

work together. 

Father Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life, had this 

to say about Congressman HYDE: 

Congressman HYDE played a big role in crystallizing the issue of abortion 

as central to politics and the culture. He has always been a driving force 

in making it clear that abortion is not one among many issues. 

Congressman HYDE, a Catholic, was a vocal opponent of 

abortion. In 1976 HYDE attached an amendment to a spending bill that banned Federal funding for abortions. 

The amendment later become known as the Hyde amendment and has been at the center of the political fight over 

abortion since its passage. 

This erudite, scholarly man has walked with kings and kept the common 

touch, 

Bush stated. 

They’re quick to say it’s not the same Congress without him—but that we’re 

a better country because he was there. And colleagues will always admire 

and look up to the gentleman from Illinois, HENRY J. HYDE. 

Born in 1924, HYDE served in the House from 1975 to 2007 

and retired at the end of the last session. HYDE served as the 

chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 

2001. 

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In a written statement, Boehner called HYDE ‘‘a constitutional scholar, a thoughtful legislator, and a passionate orator.’’ 

‘‘But above all, he will be remembered as a gentleman who 

stood as a beacon for the bedrock principles of liberty, justice, and, respect for life,’’ Boehner said. 

On November 5, President Bush awarded HYDE the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the President 

can bestow on an American citizen. 

HENRY, we miss you, buddy. Godspeed. 

Ms. LEE. . . . And tonight I must take a moment and ask 

that my remarks include my sympathy for HENRY HYDE, 

Chairman HYDE’s family. I thought about Chairman HYDE

during our visit [the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 

visit to South Africa, to celebrate and commemorate World 

AIDS Day], because we worked together on the initial 

PEPFAR [President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief] legislation. He was committed to address this HIV pandemic. He 

ensured that this bill became a bipartisan bill. And even 

though we didn’t agree on every issue, tonight I commemorate him and I give my sympathy to his family because, as 

we reauthorize this, his spirit and his hard work and his legacy certainly will prevail as we move forward. 

Many of the key issues which remain were addressed in 

South Africa as it relates to the PEPFAR reauthorization. 

Some of them included addressing the abstinence until marriage earmark and the onerous prostitution pledge; reducing 

the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and AIDS by 

empowering them through my legislation, such as the PATHWAY Act; sharpening our focus on orphans and vulnerable 

children, which of course Chairman HYDE was committed to; 

better integrating nutrition and wrap-around programs. We 

also have to expand support for health systems and strengthen delivery of basic health care services. And, of course, I believe that we must provide $50 billion, not $30 billion as the 

President has asked for, but $50 billion over the next 5 years 

for this initiative. . . . 

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, the subject of our special 

order this evening is our dear friend, HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. Speaker, I would yield to Congressman Rohrabacher 

from California. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, today we remember 

the life of HENRY HYDE. HENRY HYDE was no doubt one of 

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the greatest Members ever to serve in this Chamber. He was 

certainly one of the most articulate. 

Let me note right off the beginning, HENRY HYDE was a 

personal hero of mine long before I arrived here in this body 

in 1989. And unlike heroes whom I have met over my lifetime, quite often I have been disappointed in the heroes that 

I have met, HENRY HYDE remained a person I admired, a 

hero that I admired, even after I got to work with him and 

got to know him personally. 

HENRY HYDE was, yes, a great orator, and he had a personal presence. Anyone who has ever worked or been around 

HENRY HYDE could tell you that. Yet, these were not the 

qualities that made him great. HENRY used his talents and 

his influence to further fundamental principles and values 

that reflected HENRY’s character and his commitment to 

higher ideals. He rose above politics. 

What is it that HENRY believed in? What were these higher ideals? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

Life. Yes, that is the first, that is the first of HENRY’s values. Yes, HENRY was one of the greatest voices in the defense of the unborn on this planet. It was not the popular 

stand to take, and it still is not necessarily the popular stand 

to take. It was a moral imperative, however, a moral imperative that HENRY felt very deeply about. 

When someone believes that the issue of abortion is not an 

issue that concerns tissue being extracted from a woman’s 

body, but is instead an issue that deals with the ending of 

a human life, the principle is clear. But the courage to advocate such a moral and principled position may not match the 

importance of the issue itself. 

HENRY spoke with such eloquence on so many issues, but 

on this issue, one could not help but admire him and know 

that it was something that was coming from his heart, and 

a heart that was filled with love. He was a national force in 

the battle to protect the unborn. This is part of his legacy 

and something we should not forget and we should always 

remember him for, because it took courage for him to lead 

this battle. 

HENRY made this issue a crusade, and he did much himself to create the movement that now I think has brought 

public opinion and at least the public consciousness more to 

what the issue is on this issue of abortion. Yes, life was 

HENRY’s number one priority. 

Liberty. HENRY fought for liberty as a young naval officer 

in the Philippines during the Second World War. I was very 

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honored to have gone with HENRY to the Philippines where 

he was issued a medal for his service as a young man in the 

Second World War. He then after the war returned home 

and fought the battle for liberty in both the State legislature 

in Illinois, and, yes, here in the Halls of Congress. 

HENRY’s war was a war for liberty and justice for all. 

HENRY was chairman of the Judiciary Committee. And, yes, 

we should not forget another controversial thing about 

HENRY. He led that Judiciary Committee at a time of an impeachment procedure against President Bill Clinton. With 

the sexual implications of the charges against the former 

President, that endeavor could have turned into a lurid political circus. Instead, HENRY HYDE insisted on maintaining 

standards and maintaining that the issue was perjury, and 

that was the only issue to be approached and discussed, and 

he insisted on maintaining the decorum of this House under 

these most trying of circumstances. 

After serving as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he 

moved on to serve as chairman of the International Relations 

Committee. I was honored to serve with him on that august 

committee, and I watched first hand as he stepped up and 

maintained his commitment not only to American security, 

but to human liberty. These were the paramount issues for 

HENRY HYDE, whether our country was safe and whether 

human liberty was being furthered. 

Yes, HENRY HYDE was the chairman of the International 

Relations Committee and led us after 9/11, led us at a time 

when we went into war with radical Islam, a war in which 

we are currently engaged. And HENRY, his courage, his 

strength, his character, did very much to ensure the American people that, yes, we will prevail over this monstrous evil 

enemy that we face. 

Well, finally, let me note the pursuit of happiness. All of 

us who knew HENRY know that he was a man who enjoyed 

his life. He exemplified that happiness comes from more 

than just acquiring material wealth. HENRY was a happy 

man because he was doing what he thought was right and 

was making a difference. 

When he left us last year, he had dedicated his whole life 

to the service of our country and to those higher ideals I 

have just mentioned. He had every reason to be proud of the 

wonderful and exemplary life that he had lived. 

So, tonight we remember HENRY. He will be buried later 

on this week, but he will remain a force in this body and will 

remain a force in American politics for years to come, along 

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with the Henry Clays and the Daniel Websters and the other 

great orators and great men of principle who have served 

here in Washington in the people’s House and in this great 

Congress. 

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 

gentleman from Illinois, Congressman Ray LaHood. 

Mr. LAHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pay tribute to 

one of the finest public servants that I have ever known, 

Congressman HENRY HYDE. HENRY passed away last week. 

Before I begin my own remarks, I want to offer a couple 

of comments on behalf of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., 

who for family reasons is not able to be here, but asked me 

to offer these remarks on his behalf. 

He was a good friend of Congressman HYDE, someone from 

the other side of the aisle, but someone from our Illinois delegation. He wanted me to express his feelings that HENRY

was not only a good friend to him, but he was a great American; someone who loved America and someone who really 

made the world a better place; someone who Congressman 

Jesse Jackson, Jr., called a friend. 

I offer those remarks on behalf of Congressman Jesse 

Jackson, Jr. 

HENRY made a difference. When I was asked by a reporter 

recently what I will remember about him, what I said was 

that many of us come to this place with the idea that we can 

make a difference. HENRY HYDE made a difference. He made 

a difference in the lives of the people that he represented, 

not just in his congressional district and not just in Illinois, 

but in the country and in the world. 

He distinguished himself by serving as chair of two committees, the Judiciary Committee and the International Relations Committee, during deliberations of some very serious 

legislation. 

HENRY HYDE had the ability to change people’s minds. 

That is almost unheard of around here. People come to the 

well of the House almost always knowing how they are going 

to vote on a particular bill. But whether it was the flag 

amendment, whether it was term limits, which was a part 

of the Contract with America in 1995, whether it was the 

Hyde amendment, which protected so many lives for so many 

unborn, whether it was impeachment or whether it was expansion of O’Hare Airport, HENRY HYDE had the ability to 

come to this floor and persuade his colleagues of his point of 

view. He had a very uncanny ability to do that, because of 

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his intelligence, because of the way that he presented himself, and because of the respect that the Members of this 

body had for this great man. 

He did make a difference, and he did it with the highest 

level of civility and dignity. He brought great honor and dignity to this institution by his presence, the way he conducted 

his arguments on the great debates of the day, and I have 

no doubt that people did change their votes and change their 

minds. Particularly on term limits he made some very compelling arguments, and particularly on the flag amendment 

he made some very compelling arguments, and over a long 

period of 30 years, three decades, on the Hyde amendment. 

And even though the impeachment proceedings were very 

controversial, people respected the way HENRY HYDE conducted those proceedings as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, in a very honorable and civil way. And even those on 

the other side who did not agree with the impeachment proceedings, agreed that HENRY HYDE conducted it with the 

highest level of honesty, integrity, and civility that you can 

bring to this Chamber. 

Every third Thursday of each month that we are in session, our delegation which now numbers 21, 19 Members and 

2 U.S. Senators, have lunch together. We used to gather in 

Speaker Hastert’s office, and now we gather in Senator Durbin’s office. And before every delegation lunch, we could always count on HENRY HYDE to tell at least one or two very 

funny stories. He was a great storyteller and he loved to tell 

stories. 

I will never forget almost a year ago when HENRY would 

come in the Chamber as we were departing for the final 

votes, and he was in a wheelchair because of his back problems, and announced to all of us over in that part of the 

Chamber that just a few weeks before that, about a year ago, 

he wed his chief of staff of 35 years and he was very happy. 

They were going to move back to Geneva, IL, which is a suburban part of Chicago, west of Chicago, and they were going 

to live happily ever after in Geneva, IL, which is a beautiful 

part of the world on the Fox River. 

When President Bush announced that he was going to give 

HENRY HYDE the Presidential Medal of Freedom, I tried to 

call HENRY and was not able to reach him. I did send him 

a note. I know how proud he was. Of all of the awards and 

accolades that he received, I know he was proudest of his 

Presidential Medal of Freedom because it is the highest civilVerDate jan 13 2004 11:36 Apr 16, 2008 Jkt 039800 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\HYDE\39800A.BST CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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ian award that the President of the United States can give 

to any person, and I know how proud HENRY was of that. 

So as a Member from Illinois who has served with HENRY

now during my 13 years and as former chief of staff to Bob 

Michel, it is difficult to think that HENRY HYDE is gone. But 

he will be long remembered for his civility, the dignity, the 

high honor that he brought to the job and to the debates of 

very controversial issues, and was still able to maintain the 

collegiality of every Member of this body, both Democrats 

and Republicans, a great lesson for all of us and a great example for all of us of how we should treat one another and 

how we should conduct the debates, even when there are 

great differences and great opportunities to divide on these 

issues. 

HENRY stands as a lasting example. He will be remembered for showing how one can make a difference on important issues and during debate. We honor his memory tonight 

which will be long remembered throughout the history of the 

House of Representatives. Godspeed, HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. MANZULLO. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois 

(Mr. Shimkus). 

Mr. SHIMKUS. I want to thank my colleague, Don Manzullo, for putting this together tonight. It is great to listen 

to my friend and colleague, Ray LaHood, and follow Dana 

Rohrabacher. I think you will see a lot of Members speak tonight, and they will say a lot of similar things. We have colleagues from Texas, Ohio, and New Jersey here, which 

shows the width, breadth and the reach of Chairman HYDE. 

When you come to this institution as a new Member, there 

are people who are national figures and many people learn 

to become friends with them in different ways. I think one 

of the great privileges is when you become a colleague of one 

of these great figures of history, and as Dana Rohrabacher 

said, he meets the requirements of what you would expect 

and the person that you have idolized and respected over the 

years. 

I follow Ray LaHood who mentioned our bipartisan luncheons. We would also get together as a Republican delegation 

every now and then, and at that time we had the Speaker. 

Before the Speaker would weigh in, he would always turn to 

the dean of the Illinois delegation seeking HENRY HYDE’s 

counsel, his wisdom, his experience, and his expertise. I 

think that is a sign of a great leader when you know who 

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to go to; and, of course, with the great respect we had for the 

wisdom and the conviction of Chairman HYDE. 

When HENRY spoke, people really did listen. That is a lot 

to be said because we speak a lot and a lot of times people 

aren’t listened to. But HENRY HYDE did it, and for many of 

the reasons that Ray mentioned, but I think because of the 

great respect that people from both sides of the aisle had for 

HENRY HYDE. 

We all have our own little stories to tell. I am an individual who struggled personally with the term limits debate. 

Chairman HYDE would just always respectfully beat the heck 

out of me because of my stated position. He said, ‘‘John, we 

have term limits; they are called elections.’’ When people 

talk about HENRY’s strong speeches on the floor about term 

limits, they would think he was for term limits, but HENRY

was adamantly opposed to term limits because he was a constitutionalist at heart. He said the Constitution allows for 

term limits, and that is why we go before the voters every 

2 years. 

After wearing me down for many years, I eventually 

moved to the Henry Hyde position on term limits. 

But that is the type of person he was, not out of a view 

of political expediency or what is right for the public political 

perception at the time, but what was right for the country. 

We have a lot of colleagues down here so I am not going 

to belabor the point. Dana Rohrabacher said it right. I think 

the great way to remember HENRY HYDE is to remember life, 

liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life in the Hyde 

amendment. You can say these simply, clearly and they identify Chairman HYDE. 

Again, life would be the Hyde amendment. Liberty, aid to 

the freedom fighters in Nicaragua and Central America and 

the fight against the nuclear freeze movement. Chairman 

HYDE, that was liberty making the hard decisions against 

political expediency to promote democracy and freedom. 

And the pursuit of happiness, the Millennium Challenge. 

It is not just the pursuit of happiness for the country, it is 

the pursuit of happiness for the whole world. 

I am honored to be able to be on the floor to take a few 

minutes to thank Chairman HYDE for his friendship, his 

mentorship. He is and will be missed. God bless you, HENRY

HYDE. 

Mr. MANZULLO. I recognize the gentleman from New 

Jersey (Mr. Smith). 

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I would like to associate myself 

with the sense of loss we all feel for the passing of Congressman HENRY HYDE. As I think my colleagues know, HENRY

HYDE was one of the rarest, most accomplished and most distinguished Members of Congress ever to serve. He was a 

class act. 

HENRY HYDE was a man of deep and abiding faith, generous to a fault with an incisive mind that worked 

seamlessly with his incredible sense of humor. He was a 

friend and colleague who inspired and challenged us to look 

beyond surface appeal arguments and to take seriously the 

admonitions of Holy Scripture to care for the downtrodden, 

the vulnerable, and the least of our brethren. 

On the greatest human rights issue of our time, the right 

to life for unborn children, the disabled, and frail elderly, 

HENRY HYDE will always be known as the great champion 

and the great defender of life. No one was more logical, compassionate or eloquent in the defense of the disenfranchised. 

Because of the Hyde amendment, countless young children 

and adults walk on this Earth today and have an opportunity to love, to learn, to experience, to play sports, to get 

married, to enjoy their grandchildren some day, to experience the adventure of life itself because they were spared destruction when they were most at risk, millions, almost all 

of whom have no idea how much danger they were in, today 

pursue their dreams and their hopes with expectations and 

great accomplishment. 

With malice toward none, no one, even his most vociferous 

critics, HENRY HYDE often took to the House floor to politely 

ask us to show compassion and respect and even love for the 

innocent and inconvenient babies about to be annihilated by 

abortion. 

A Congressman for 32 years, a chairman for 6 years of the 

Judiciary Committee, and for another 6 years chairman of 

the International Relations Committee, HENRY HYDE was a 

prodigious lawmaker. With uncanny skill, determination, 

and grace, he crafted numerous historic bipartisan laws and 

commonsense policies that lifted people out of poverty, 

helped alleviate disease, and strengthened the U.S. Code to 

protect victims and to get the criminals off the streets. He 

was magnificent in his defense of democracy and freedom 

both here and overseas. 

One of his many legislative accomplishments includes his 

authorship of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, a 5-year $15 billion plan to combat HIV/AIDS, 

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tuberculosis, and malaria. During the debate, Chairman 

HYDE compared the HIV/AIDS crisis to the bubonic plague 

of the 14th century, the Black Death, and challenged us to 

enact a comprehensive program to rescue the sick, assist the 

dying, and prevent the contagion from spreading. 

Having served with this brilliant one-of-a-kind lawmaker, 

I know the world will truly miss HENRY HYDE. Still, we take 

some comfort in knowing that HENRY HYDE’s kindness, his 

compassion, and generosity will live on in the many laws he 

wrote to protect and enhance the lives of others. I, we, will 

miss this great statesman. 

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman 

from Texas (Mr. Hensarling). 

Mr. HENSARLING. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I 

must admit I feel most inadequate to the task to find words 

to somehow adequately eulogize this great man, this colleague, this friend of ours whom we called HENRY HYDE. 

I guess the most important thing I can say about him in 

the time that I have served in Congress, I can think of no 

greater champion of human life and human freedom than 

HENRY HYDE. 

When I think about the Hyde amendment and what that 

means to human life, that accomplishment alone is worthy 

of an entire Congress, and it is really the work of one U.S. 

Congressman. 

Tens of thousands live today because of HENRY HYDE. 

There can be no doubt about that, Mr. Speaker. And often 

in debate we hear people come to the floor and talk about 

we need to pass this legislation or that legislation because 

we need to do it for the least of these. He, more than any 

other, understood in the depths of his heart that the least of 

these are the unborn. And because of that, he was a champion. And we do properly eulogize him tonight. 

You know in debate, Mr. Speaker, it can get quite contentious. One wonders sometimes why a civil society cannot 

have a civil Congress. But I have no doubt that although 

many occasionally may have thought him wrongheaded, no 

one in this institution ever thought he was wronghearted because he always acted out of the purest of motives. 

And as I hearken back to a comment that the gentleman 

from Illinois made before me, it is interesting to note that 

each of us would come to this floor and actually have a 

greater interest in listening to HENRY HYDE than listening 

to ourselves. Very few Members of this body, Mr. Speaker, 

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command that kind of attention. But when HENRY HYDE

spoke, people wanted to listen because he brought the force 

of his intellect, he brought his humor, he brought his grace, 

his kindness, he brought his civility, and he brought his humility to this floor. And because of it, Mr. Speaker, I know 

that I am a better person, and I believe that every other 

Member of this institution is also better for having known 

HENRY HYDE and being able to listen to him. 

We regret his loss, but we thank his family. And I am well 

acquainted with his son Bob, who is a resident of Dallas, as 

I am, and I just want to thank them for loaning him to this 

great institution and this great country. And, again, I know 

I am a better Member of Congress and a better human being 

because I had an opportunity to meet HENRY HYDE. And I 

know that as he meets his Creator, there is no doubt in my 

mind, Mr. Speaker, that he has heard those words, ‘‘Well 

done, good and faithful servant.’’ 

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentlelady 

from Ohio (Mrs. Schmidt) for 5 minutes. 

Before I formally recognize her, I noted with great interest 

that when Mrs. Schmidt was elected to Congress in that special election, I don’t think there was a time that I came in 

when HENRY wasn’t here that Congresswoman Schmidt 

wasn’t seated right next to him talking to him, listening to 

him, and observing his spirit. And it is most appropriate that 

she speak about this great American this evening. I recognize Jean Schmidt. 

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Last week, I was deeply saddened to 

learn of the passing of former Congressman HENRY HYDE. 

The United States lost a great statesman. I lost a role model 

and a valued friend. We all lost a man who exemplified civility and led a life dedicated to his country, serving others and 

his ideals. His story should serve as a beacon of hope for all 

who knew of him. 

Congressman HYDE came from humble roots. He earned a 

basketball scholarship to college, fought in World War II, 

and earned a law degree. He was the American dream. 

Congressman HYDE was first elected to Congress in 1975. 

As a stalwart in Congress for over three decades, it was his 

voice of civility and passion which Members from both sides 

of the aisle respected and appreciated and which he is oftentimes remembered for the most. But he is most often remembered by all for the Hyde amendment, legislation to prohibit 

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the use of Federal taxpayer dollars for abortions in the 

United States. 

During his years in Congress, he not only worked to protect the lives of the unborn, but he also was active in the 

United States and Russian relations during the cold war, 

wrote legislation to address the worldwide AIDS epidemic, 

and presided over the House impeachment proceedings of 

President Clinton. 

Most will remember HENRY HYDE for all that he was able 

to accomplish as a Member of Congress. I will remember him 

as a man who was true to his ideals and who spoke to our 

hopes, not our fears. 

His legislative accomplishments were just a reflection of 

who he was. His compassion for the unborn and the weak 

and the forgotten was not simply a veneer pasted on for public consumption. He understood the meaning of life and 

championed laws to protect it from its natural conception to 

its natural death. He treated everyone he met as if he or she 

were the most important person in the world because he saw 

them as God’s children and knew that they were. 

Congressman HYDE was truly a life well lived. The country 

and the world have experienced a great loss. I have lost a 

dear friend on this floor. My condolences go out to his entire 

family. I truly feel privileged to have served with such a 

great man. And I would like to add that when I was elected, 

I was excited to be here, but I was most excited to meet Congressman HYDE. May he rest in peace in the Lord’s arms. 

Mr. MANZULLO. I recognize the gentleman from Virginia 

(Mr. Goodlatte) for 5 minutes. 

Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 

Mr. Speaker, it is a real honor to rise and speak of the life 

of a great American statesman and a true friend of the 

American people and a personal friend, Congressman HENRY

HYDE. 

When I arrived here in the Congress in 1993, HENRY HYDE

was already legendary. He had many years before that 

begun work on the Hyde amendment, which established for 

now some 30-plus years the principle that the American taxpayers’ dollars would not be used to fund abortions. That 

principle has stood with us all these years and I believe will 

stand with us well beyond Congressman HYDE’s passing. It 

was a great legacy. 

In addition, Congressman HYDE was known as an outstanding orator, a public speaker of the first order. He 

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brought both his keen intellect and sharp wit with his heart 

to the speeches that he gave on this floor, and he commanded the attention of his colleagues and often changed the 

minds of people who might have been very much hardened 

against the position that he was putting forward. He did it 

with considerable skill, with considerable intellect, and with 

considerable commitment. 

When I arrived in 1993, I became very much aware of the 

personal attention that he gave to other Members of this 

House. As a new Member, he helped me through one of the 

more difficult committees to serve on in the Congress, the 

Judiciary Committee. And when we gained the majority, the 

Republican majority in 1994, the Republican leadership recognized HENRY HYDE’s capabilities and actually passed him 

over other Members of the Congress to make him chairman 

of that committee, knowing that that committee had an enormous task ahead of it because, as many will recall, in 1994, 

Republican Members campaigned for election on the Contract with America. What many may not realize is that of 

the nearly 30 bills that comprised the 10 principles that 

made up the Contract for America, more than half of them 

went through the Judiciary Committee, and Congressman 

HYDE shepherded each one of those through the committee 

and then across the floor of the House, and many subsequently passed the Senate as well and became law. And he 

accomplished that not just by his own hard work and dedication, but by delegating responsibility to virtually every Member of the committee on both sides of the aisle in some instances, in fact, giving new Members like myself an opportunity to play a key role in managing that legislation and offering key amendments, because he recognized the importance of operating the committee in an open and fair fashion. 

His greatest challenge may have come with the impeachment of President Clinton. I served on the committee with 

him during that very difficult time as well. The impeachment of the President of the United States is one of the more 

serious things that the Congress has to deal with, and it is 

certainly something that can evoke great emotions and can 

bring about great contention in the committee. But Chairman HYDE managed the committee with great fairness, with 

great attention to detail, and did so at a time when he was 

personally vilified and attacked in a number of different 

ways, most unfairly, and yet did it with equanimity, with 

grace, and I think commanded the respect of Members on 

both sides of the aisle as he handled that very difficult chalVerDate jan 13 2004 11:36 Apr 16, 2008 Jkt 039800 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\HYDE\39800A.BST CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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lenge, and did so, I might add, successfully in bringing forward impeachment resolutions which were sound, which 

passed the House of Representatives, and which I think 

spoke for all time about the importance of the respect of the 

rule of law by all of those who serve in government, even in 

the highest places. 

HENRY HYDE was an individual who believed very deeply 

in our Constitution, and he showed that through his hard 

work for 6 years as chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 

passing a multitude of pieces of legislation that showed that 

great respect for our Constitution. But he was more than 

simply a believer in the rule of law. He was a believer in the 

human heart. And he showed that time and time again in 

his work with other Members of this Congress, as we have 

heard some mentioned here this evening, and also in his 

work internationally; because after he completed his work as 

chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he was given another 

important and great challenge of serving as chairman of the 

International Relations Committee. And I have had the opportunity to see him in action with Presidents and Prime 

Ministers, to see the kind of respect that he commanded 

from world leaders because of his leadership of that committee and because of his great concern for the promotion of 

American interests around the world. Those interests are 

very pure, interests of promoting democracy and opportunity 

for freedom and peace for people in every corner of the globe. 

I have not had the privilege of serving on the International 

Relations Committee, but I have had the opportunity to 

serve for 14 years on the Judiciary Committee with Congressman HYDE, and I will never forget the leadership that 

he provided on that committee and in this Congress. He has 

been an inspiration to me, he has been an inspiration to millions of other Americans, and he deserves to be recognized 

as one of the greatest statesmen of our time. And I thank the 

gentleman for yielding me this time. 

Mr. MANZULLO. I yield to the Congressman from Arizona, Trent Franks, 10 minutes. 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I thank Congressman Manzullo. 

HENRY HYDE was perhaps more responsible than any 

other Member of this body for allowing me to become a Member of Congress, and I stand here thanking him for his work 

and for him allowing me to come to this place. 

Mr. Speaker, our moment in history is marked by mortal 

conflict between a culture of life and a culture of death. God 

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put us in this world to do noble things, to love and to cherish 

our fellow human beings, not to destroy them. Today, we 

must choose sides. 

Mr. Speaker, those words were spoken by one HENRY

HYDE, who in 1924 was born in the same State that once 

gave us an Abraham Lincoln who guided America through 

that terrible storm that brought about the end of a cancer 

called slavery that it had embedded itself so deeply in American policy. 

That same greatness of spirit that compelled Abraham 

Lincoln to remind our Nation that all men are created equal 

also compelled HENRY HYDE to spend 32 years of his life 

serving this body in defense of that same truth. 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE said: 

We are the heirs of 1776, and of an epic moment in history of human affairs when the Founders of this Republic pledged their lives, their fortunes, 

and their sacred honor. Think of that, their sacred honor, to the defense of 

the rule of law. The rule of law is to safeguard our liberties. The rule of 

law is what allows us to live in our freedom in ways that honor the freedom 

of others. 

Mr. Speaker, whether working to overturn the horrors of 

child sex slavery, of sex trafficking, or advocating to protect 

victims of human rights abuse, or improving the lives of children, families, seniors, and military veterans, or protecting 

the innocent from the threat of terrorism, or striving to bring 

clean water and basic sanitation to the poorest of the poor 

all over the world, HENRY HYDE was truly a man who gave 

himself to the cause of honoring and protecting the equal, inherent, and profound dignity of every member of the human 

family. 

He carried himself with such honor and dignity and true 

nobility, and yet never wavered in the strength or perseverance of his convictions. Like President Ronald Reagan, he 

carried a reputation for being a happy warrior. 

And, Mr. Speaker, while the hallmark of HENRY HYDE’s 

life was the compassion for all of humanity, the driving force 

of his work in Congress was the dedication to protecting and 

restoring the constitutional rights for an entirely unprotected 

class of humanity he called the ‘‘defenseless unborn.’’ 

HENRY HYDE was instrumental in crafting legislation such 

as the Mexico City policy and the partial birth abortion ban. 

Perhaps his most world-changing initiative came in the form 

of the legendary Hyde amendment which passed 2 years 

after he first came to Washington in 1976. It prohibited the 

practice of taxpayers being forced to pay for abortions. The 

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year before, taxpayer funds had provided for more than 

300,000 abortions in America. Mr. Speaker, at the very least, 

over 1 million little souls have lived to feel the warmth of 

sunlight and freedom on their faces because of the Hyde 

amendment and the work of HENRY HYDE, and that number 

could well be in the millions. That is a legacy no words of 

mine can ever express. 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE once said: 

This is not a debate about religious doctrine or even about public policy 

options. It is a debate about our understanding of human dignity, what it 

means to be a member of the human family, even though tiny, powerless 

and unwanted. 

HENRY HYDE was a man of unwavering principle, an unflinching patriot who never hesitated to confront even the 

fiercest controversies once he believed that he was fighting 

on the side of truth, God, and human freedom. Not only did 

he fight tirelessly for those truths, he spoke them so powerfully that he deeply and profoundly moved the heart of 

America. He stirred this body on countless occasions and 

helped to rekindle the conscience of this Nation, and the legacy of his words will resonate long after every one of us has 

walked out of that Chamber for the very last time. 

Last month, Mr. Speaker, Congressman HENRY HYDE was 

honored by the President of the United States with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be bestowed on any civilian. ‘‘He used his persuasive powers for 

noble causes’’ according to the President. ‘‘He was a gallant 

champion of the weak and the forgotten, and a fearless defender of life in all of his seasons.’’ 

Mr. Speaker, back in 1857 in the Dred Scott decision, the 

Supreme Court said that the black man was not a person 

under the Constitution, and it took a civil war to reverse 

that tragedy. 

In the rise of the Nazi Holocaust, we saw the German high 

tribunal say that Jews were unworthy of being classed as 

humans, and a tragedy that beggars our understanding followed as a result. 

Then in 1973 we saw the Supreme Court of the United 

States of America take from the innocent unborn children 

the most basic human right of all, the right to live. And in 

all three cases, Mr. Speaker, a great human tragedy followed. The Civil War took more lives than any war in our 

history. The world war that arrested the Nazi Holocaust took 

50 million lives worldwide, and even saw atomic bombs fall 

on cities. 

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And today we stand in retrospect and wonder how the 

compassion of humanity did not rise in defense of those who 

could not defend themselves when such horrible atrocities 

might have been prevented. And yet, there and here, in the 

land of the free and the home of the brave, we have killed 

50 million of our own children in what should have been the 

safe sanctuary of their own mother’s wombs. They died 

nameless and alone, their mothers were never the same, Mr. 

Speaker, and all of the gifts those children might have 

brought to humanity are now lost forever. 

Mr. Speaker, there is no way for me to add to the power 

of the immortal words of that gallant statesman, HENRY

HYDE himself. He said something I wish that every American, every person on Earth could hear. He said: 

When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgement, I’ve often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that 

it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there 

alone standing before God, and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement 

will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never 

been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next 

world, and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. 

They will say to God, ‘‘Spare him because he loved us,’’ and God will look 

at you and say not ‘‘Did you succeed?’’ but ‘‘Did you try?’’ 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE truly tried. And I am convinced 

that the day will still come in America when the warm sunlight of life will finally break through these clouds and shine 

once again on the faces of unborn children in this Nation. 

And when that day comes, history will record that it is a 

great champion named HENRY HYDE who waged a quiet war 

for the defenseless unborn in the Halls of this Congress. And 

he reached up to hold the hand of an unseen God and 

reached down to hold the hand of an unnamed little baby 

and refused to let go until the storm was gone. 

And, Mr. Speaker, if I’m wrong, and somehow America 

never finds its way out of this horrible darkness of abortion 

on demand, I know more than anything else in the world 

that the Lord of the Universe still hears the cries of every 

last one of his children. And no matter who or where they 

are, if time turns every star in heaven to ashes, I know in 

my soul, as HENRY HYDE knew in his, that that eternal moment of God’s deliverance will come to every last one of 

them. 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE was a true and noble champion 

and he will live forever in our hearts and minds as a warrior 

for the cause of human freedom and human life. May his 

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family, his many friends, and loved ones be comforted in the 

peace and assurance of knowing that their courageous father 

and husband and friend has been welcomed by an eternal 

chorus of voices and has now walked safely into the arms of 

God and heard him whisper, ‘‘Well done, thou good and 

faithful servant.’’ 

God bless HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the remaining time that we have. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Altmire). The gentleman 

has approximately 20 minutes remaining. 

Mr. MANZULLO. OK. I’ll claim 5 minutes for myself. 

I was elected to this Congress in 1992, was sworn in in 

1993, and never got used to the name Congressman. When 

someone said Congressman, I would turn around and I’d look 

for HENRY HYDE. I thought that you had to be here an 

unnamed number of years and garner the utmost respect of 

your colleagues before you could be called by that name, 

Congressman. 

And I had the opportunity to work with HENRY. I recall in 

either 1993 or 1994, when it was going to be very difficult 

because of some procedural problem for HENRY HYDE to offer 

the Hyde amendment, and the only way that he could do 

that was through unanimous consent of this body. It was on, 

I believe, an appropriations bill. I sat next to HENRY HYDE

at this table to my immediate right, and he turned to me 

and he said, ‘‘Don, if I can’t offer this amendment, tens of 

thousands of children will die.’’ And I was numbed by what 

he said, and also by the immense power that one person 

could have to intervene in the lives of those who had not, 

who could not, see the light of day because of their circumstances. 

The chairman of the Appropriations Committee, William 

Natcher from Mississippi, stood up in a very noisy Chamber, 

and he said, ‘‘I ask unanimous consent in this body that the 

Hyde amendment be allowed in order.’’ And I remember him 

peering over those glasses, this man from Mississippi who 

never missed a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. One person could have said, ‘‘I object,’’ and no one did. 

And HENRY HYDE offered the amendment that particular 

afternoon and it passed this body and went on to become 

part of the continuing law forbidding the use of taxpayers’ 

funding for abortions. I shall never forget the sweat that was 

emanating from his body, how his hands were being wrung 

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together. And I never thought it possible that one person 

could make that much of a difference in the U.S. Congress. 

And he made the difference to people who could never vote 

for him. He just did it because he said that this is the right 

thing to do. 

And there were other occasions in my career as a Member 

of Congress where I would see him stand up. And when 

HENRY HYDE stood up to speak, this noisy body of 435 independent contractors would become very quiet and listen to 

HENRY HYDE. When the Contract with America was penned, 

and he handled several bills dealing with that very difficult 

piece of, series of legislation, in the section on product liability he allowed me to give the concluding speech on the floor 

because one of the companies that I represent back in Rockford, IL, had gone out of business on the 100th anniversary 

because it was sued over a machine that it had manufactured 50 years earlier. And sitting on the desk of the president of that great company was a summons starting a suit 

over a machine that was manufactured at the time of the 

House of Romanov when it ruled Russia. And he gave me the 

honor of giving the concluding speech on that very difficult 

topic. 

You ask yourselves, where are the HENRY HYDEs of America today? Where are the orators of this House? And no one 

stands up because they’re gone. 

I would recognize the gentleman from Illinois, Peter 

Roskam, for as much time as he would consume. 

Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, you know, as I’ve sat and listened this evening to the tributes of Congressman HYDE, a 

couple of things have become clear to me, that there’s an element, a great sense of loss tonight among us about a man 

that people on both sides of the aisle really came to respect 

and admire and deeply appreciate. 

I’ve thought about Congressman HYDE and the role that 

he played. He came to Congress in 1974, and that was a very 

difficult time for the Republican Party. He’s one of the few 

people who was successful in a campaign after the scandal 

of Watergate, and came in as a conservative in the House of 

Representatives before conservative was cool. He was passionate about a strong America and understood fundamentally what our Nation’s role was in the world. 

We’ve talked a lot over the past several minutes about 

HENRY HYDE and his pro-life legacy. There was another passion that he had, and I think it was inextricably linked to 

his view of life and defending it at all ages, and that was his 

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high view of freedom. He was a person who understood fundamentally that the United States had a very special role to 

play. 

I was a staffer for him and remember him talking about 

the captive nations. That was a phrase that was used to capture the description of the Eastern bloc nations. And you see, 

in HENRY HYDE’s district, in the Sixth District of Illinois, 

there was a whole host of immigrants, folks who had come 

to this land of America because America was free. And 

HENRY HYDE represented that constituency well. And it was 

people who had been formed largely by their suffering under 

a tyrannical communist regime. And when HENRY HYDE

came to office in 1974, in those years before the 1980 election, he was among a small group of people in the House, I 

think, who really understood what was at stake. 

As it turned out, Ronald Reagan won a historic election in 

1980. It was a landslide really of epic proportion. 

And HENRY HYDE was one of those people who was positioned in the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, to be 

one of Ronald Reagan’s partners over the next 8 years on 

what has been nothing short of a transformation of American 

foreign policy. 

HENRY HYDE was a pivotal figure in the mid-1980s when 

the House turned to him and asked him to play a key role 

at the time in the Iran-Contra investigation. I remember 

working for him at that time and a whole great deal of activity. When I looked at my boss, Congressman HYDE, during 

the committee hearings, every time he asked a question, 

every time he made a point, there was a sense of clarity 

about him that was just very inviting. He understood what 

was going on. He didn’t shy away from a political fight, as 

we all know, but he was able to engage people in such a way 

that he could persuade them. He was sort of the old school 

of American politics in that he wasn’t satisfied merely to 

have a debate. No. This was a guy who wanted to persuade 

you. And his view was, look, if you knew what I knew and 

if you had seen what I have seen and if you understand what 

I understand, then surely looking at this evidence you’ll be 

persuaded, as I am, to this way of thinking. And I think the 

way that he approached that, Mr. Speaker, was very inviting 

in a way. 

Listen, he was at a pivotal point in our public life together 

in very difficult times for our country. But we all know, as 

we reflect on this great man, that he did it with a sense of 

duty, he did it with a sense of honor, and he did it in a way 

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that he always upheld his oath to protect and defend the 

Constitution of the United States. 

I remember the first time I met HENRY HYDE, I was interviewing in his office, and it was when he was in the Rayburn 

Building, room 2104 in the Rayburn Building. It was, I 

think, an April evening, if I’m not mistaken, in the mid1980s, and I had a chance to interview with my own Congressman, HENRY HYDE, to become possibly a legislative assistant. I went in. I handed him my resume. And I have an 

independent recollection, as I am standing here today, of 

HENRY HYDE looking out over me in these half glasses and 

kind of clearing his throat looking at the resume, sort of 

looking it over, and I remember feeling very intimidated because at the time, after all, I was in a conversation with 

HENRY HYDE. Well, to make a long story short, he very graciously offered me the job. 

And what I will say is this. We serve with a whole cast 

of characters here in Congress. And we see one another 

many times on the floor, and we interact with one another, 

and we see one another in the hallways. But when you really 

want to get to know a Member, you ask the staff what is 

that person really like? The staff people who are working for 

that Member, out of the public view, behind closed doors in 

the office when nobody is around, and I will tell you this: 

HENRY HYDE was the same person to work for as the person 

who would appear here on the floor of the House of Representatives. He was gracious. Now, he expected you to work 

hard. He expected excellence on the part of his staff, and he 

wanted you to do a good job. But the same pleasant man 

that you encountered and is fondly remembered here this 

evening was the same person that interacted with his staff. 

You know, there are different ways to measure people. 

And I called Congressman HYDE on the phone in April of 

this year. I was walking into the Cannon Building. It was an 

early morning. And I called him on my cell phone, and I 

caught him at home. It was fairly early. And I said, ‘‘HENRY, 

I have been here for 4 months.’’ I said, ‘‘I marvel at what you 

were able to accomplish during the time that you were here.’’ 

Many of us come from legislative bodies, State legislatures 

or county legislative bodies, and they are fairly intimate affairs, actually. They’re fairly small groups of legislators who 

come together. But when you think of the figurative shadow 

that he cast on legislation for the past 30 years, it was a 

thing to behold. 

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I know he enjoyed the phone call, but it wasn’t false flattery. It was actually admiration from somebody who has recently come to succeed him in Congress. 

Finally, in closing, Mr. Speaker, I remember when I sat 

with Congressman HYDE several months before I came to 

this body, and at the end of a very pleasant conversation as 

we went back and forth on issues and talked about local politics and State politics and national politics and all kinds of 

issues, he said a word to me. When I share it with you, Mr. 

Speaker, it is going to sound like a very common thing. But 

when you’re me and you are seated across from HENRY J. 

HYDE, it didn’t sound very common at that point. And he 

said to me this: He said, ‘‘Peter, this is important work in 

Congress. This is important work.’’ And there was an urgency with what he was saying to me that day. And it wasn’t 

the whimsy of an old man who was just reflecting back on 

32 years of service, but it was the admonition of a statesman 

who had looked out over the horizon and really understood 

the great challenges but, even more, the great opportunities 

that are here for us in the United States of America. 

So I know that I am joined by many Americans who considered HENRY HYDE to be their Congressman, to be America’s Congressman. And so it is with a great sense of pride 

and also a great sense of sadness and loss that I rise today, 

like so many of my colleagues, to honor his memory. 

Mr. MANZULLO. Reclaiming my time, there are some 

great HENRY HYDE stories. The first time I met him was in 

his office in your congressional district, and he was wearing 

this incredible Hawaiian shirt, and sticking out of his pocket 

was this oversized cigar. I had never seen a cigar that big 

in my entire life. And he was a connoisseur of his cigars. 

And I remember one time my chief of staff had given me this 

cigar. He said, ‘‘I got this and you’ve got to give this to 

HENRY HYDE the next time you see him.’’ So I was carrying 

this cigar in my pocket, and I needed him to sign a document, and he signed the document, and I said, ‘‘HENRY, I’ve 

got this cigar for you.’’ And I think his eyes got bigger than 

that cigar. 

What a sense of humor, what a joy, what a thrill to have 

served with him. We are honored and blessed to have served 

with somebody by the name of HENRY HYDE of Illinois. 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I join with 

my colleagues and friends this evening to honor the life of 

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former International Relations Committee Chairman HENRY

HYDE. 

Throughout his 32 years in the House of Representatives, 

Congressman HYDE was a pioneer of conservative values and 

principles. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the 

International Relations Committee, he fought to preserve the 

sanctity of life and to promote the tenets of freedom. His career is a testament to his character and his love for this 

country. It was all too fitting that President Bush honored 

this life and legacy earlier this year when he awarded Congressman HYDE the Medal of Freedom—America’s highest civilian honor. 

For those of us who had the pleasure to know Chairman 

HYDE personally, we were touched by his immense dedication to public service, his integrity, and the wisdom he imparted to us all. He was a founding father of modern American conservatism promoting the expansion of freedom and 

the limiting of government. 

I am grateful to have known and worked with this tremendous individual, and I am grateful for his service to this Nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Hyde 

family during this difficult time. 

Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 

the passing of our colleague from Illinois, HENRY J. HYDE. 

Congressman HYDE served in the House of Representatives 

for over 30 years and his respect for this body and the 

United States of America was a hallmark of his career. Volunteering to serve in the Navy during World War II, he 

played basketball at Georgetown, graduated from Loyola 

Law School and eventually chaired both the Judiciary and 

International Relations Committees, presiding over both 

with the same dignity and eloquence with which he treated 

all floor debate. 

HENRY was perhaps best known as Congress’s leading 

voice for protecting the unborn. During his first term, he was 

successful in enacting the Hyde amendment, which outlawed 

the Federal funding of abortion in most cases, and still 

stands today. But what stands out equally to many of us is 

the way he handled this advocacy, always arguing passionately, always arguing forcefully, but always arguing his beliefs with a grace and tact that provided for an honest exchange on the most contentious of issues. This is a great lesson for all of us today, that even when we disagree, we 

should debate the issues on their merits, with the highest 

levels of decorum. 

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Madam Speaker, HENRY HYDE was an influential presence 

in the House of Representatives and both national and Illinois politics. He will not soon be forgotten, and I send my 

condolences to his family. 

Mrs. MYRICK. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of a great man, and a dedicated Member of this body. 

HENRY HYDE was an esteemed colleague, a remarkable orator, and a true statesman. He was uniquely able to graciously disagree with other Members at a fundamental level 

without disrespect or contempt. In this sense, he was an example to all of us, Republican or Democrat, conservative or 

liberal. When he spoke on this floor, he spoke deliberately 

and intelligently, crafting numerous policy speeches that will 

endure well into the future. 

HENRY was a devoted advocate for the unborn, and he 

never wavered on this point. For that, I am personally grateful. Much has been said on this point, but no one can say it 

better than HENRY himself. 

As he stated during a critical debate on this floor: 

One of the great errors of modern politics is our foolish attempt to separate our private consciences from our public acts, and it cannot be done. At 

the end of the 20th century, is the crowning achievement of our democracy 

to treat the weak, the powerless, the unwanted, as things? To be disposed 

of? If so, we have not elevated justice; we have disgraced it. 

HENRY HYDE was not a perfect man, and like the rest of 

us, I imagine he was sometimes inclined to become angry 

and unpleasant when confronted with the frustrating issues 

that make our days here in Congress so interesting. But I always respected HENRY for maintaining an honorable demeanor, even in the midst of emotionally charged disagreements. In the spirit of our country’s great orators, he knew 

that we don’t promote a real debate with nastiness and 

soundbites, but with thoughtful consideration and a deep understanding of the issues at hand. 

My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time. 

Surely they can appreciate the impact that HENRY HYDE

made on this Chamber. I’m honored to have an opportunity 

to express my gratitude to a man whose public service 

changed this country for the better. 

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Madam Speaker, HENRY HYDE was 

a giant in Congress. His articulateness, diplomacy, and 

knowledge was evident to all. He sat on the Judiciary Committee from when he was first elected in 1975 and served 6 

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years as the committee’s chairman. It was a privilege to 

serve with him. 

Vivid memories of my years in Congress center on comments HENRY HYDE made on and off the floor. He was a person of conviction, but never a partisan for partisan’s sake. 

He was one of those rare individuals who, when he spoke on 

the House floor, was listened to with respect because of his 

way with words and his sincerity. 

We will miss him but he will be in our thoughts and prayers. 

Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my deepest condolences on the loss of Congressman HENRY HYDE. It 

is a great honor to have known him and served with HENRY, 

a dedicated public servant whose devotion to his constituency, values, and country was rivaled by few. 

Though I only shared a single term in the House of Representatives with Congressman HYDE, I felt privileged to 

serve with him in the Illinois congressional delegation. A 

man well known for his eloquent speeches, HENRY HYDE was 

a legend throughout Illinois and the entire country. 

Throughout his 32-year tenure in the House of Representatives, Congressman HYDE proved to be an intellectual powerhouse, commanding respect for the strong arguments and 

stimulating debate that he brought to the House. A true 

statesman, HENRY was known for his ability to bring opposing sides of a debate together to find a consensus for the 

good of the country. 

In the House, Congressman HYDE was influential on matters of international importance, having chaired both the 

Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on International Relations. I have particularly great respect for his 

eloquent voice on American foreign policy during the cold 

war. 

For his public service and great contributions to America 

throughout his career, not the least of which was his brave 

service in the Navy during World War II, Congressman 

HYDE was recently recognized with the Presidential Medal of 

Freedom. Awarded by the President and given only to those 

individuals who have made an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United 

States, this is the Nation’s highest civilian honor. 

A man who always stayed true to his faith, HENRY HYDE

was unwavering in defending his values and beliefs with 

every word he spoke. In the end, I will always admire HENRY

for his basic belief that the law exists to protect the weak 

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from the strong, and his willingness to fight for this principle. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today not only to honor HENRY HYDE, 

a great man, but to recognize the impact he has made on our 

country. America no doubt will feel the loss of this man who 

so deeply committed himself to his country. I count myself 

lucky that I had the opportunity to serve with him. My 

thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. 

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay my respects to 

our departed colleague, Representative HENRY HYDE. I am 

saddened by the death of this exceptionally fine and honorable man, who so ably served not only the best interests of 

his constituents but, indeed, the entire Nation for over 30 

years in this House. HENRY HYDE will be remembered in 

many different ways—as a skilled attorney who respected 

and defended the rule of law; as a stout champion of the 

rights of the unborn; and as a distinguished statesman who 

promoted peaceful and just international relations and 

agreements. 

As I remember the life and service of HENRY HYDE, one 

personal experience stands out in my mind. In 1984, I was 

involved in a closely contested race for an open Michigan 

State Senate seat. A prominent pro-life organization endorsed my opponent, based not on my record or his, but on 

unrelated reasons. This was done despite my own consistent 

pro-life voting record and ardent pro-life policy stance. The 

pro-life endorsement carried considerable weight in the district and was a noteworthy point in the campaign. HENRY

HYDE found out about this development, and he was outraged. He traveled up from Illinois to campaign for me, to 

correct what he considered a grave injustice. Of course, given 

the passage of the Hyde amendment to prevent Federal 

funds from being used for abortions—remarkably, passed 

during his first term in Congress in 1974—HENRY HYDE was 

a hero in the pro-life movement. His public endorsement of 

my campaign was a significant factor in my close victory. 

Mr. Speaker, I consider it an honor to have known and 

worked closely with HENRY HYDE. I know many of us feel the 

same way. I hope we will uphold his legacy of defending the 

rule of law, promoting just international relations, and protecting the sanctity of all life. 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express 

my sadness over the passing of our former colleague and 

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friend, HENRY HYDE, and my respect for his decades of public service on behalf of the people of Illinois. 

Representative HYDE was known throughout the country 

as a man of strong beliefs, a public servant who fought hard 

for his convictions with eloquence and passion. Those of us 

in the House of Representatives—especially those of us who 

served with him in the Illinois delegation—also knew him as 

a gentleman. Disagreements on some issues never prevented 

him from working with a colleague on other matters. 

I was one who often disagreed with Congressman HYDE, 

but we were always able to talk about our differences and 

work together on bipartisan issues, such as investigating the 

causes of oil and gasoline price increases in the Chicago market, ending the genocide in Sudan and the AIDS epidemic in 

Africa, fighting global poverty and the proliferation of destabilizing nuclear weapons, and addressing gun violence. I always felt that I could reach out to Congressman HYDE and 

have an open and beneficial discussion, even on the most 

controversial issues. He was the only person who ever called 

me ‘‘Janny,’’ a private nickname I enjoyed. 

Congressman HYDE was born in Rogers Park, Chicago, and 

went to St. George High School in Evanston. He was first 

elected to Congress in 1974, after already having had a distinguished career as a lawyer, World War II veteran, and 

member of the Illinois General Assembly. He served the 

Sixth District of Illinois for 32 years, never forgetting his 

roots, his responsibilities or his values. He will be missed. 

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS 

Under clause 2 of rule XII, public bills and resolutions 

were introduced and severally referred, as follows: . . . 

By Mr. ROSKAM (for himself, Mr. Costello, Mr. Lipinski, 

Mr. Boehner, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Weller, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. LaHood, Mr. 

Davis of Illinois, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Shimkus, and Mr. Blunt): 

H. Res. 843. A resolution mourning the passing of Congressman HENRY

J. HYDE and celebrating his leadership and service to the people of Illinois 

and the United States of America; to the Committee on House Administration. 

WEDNESDAY, December 5, 2007 

Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, last week America lost a true 

statesman when HENRY HYDE passed away at the age of 83. 

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Representative HYDE was a student of American history, a 

constitutional scholar, a thoughtful legislator, and a skillful 

orator. But above all, he will be remembered as a man of integrity who stood for the most basic principles of liberty, justice, and, above all, respect for life. 

On November 5, President Bush awarded Mr. HYDE the 

Presidential Medal of Freedom, the very highest honor the 

President can bestow on an American citizen. 

In his first term, HENRY HYDE offered an amendment that 

ensured that Americans who believe in the sanctity of life 

would not see their taxpayer dollars go to the funding of 

abortion. That was just the beginning of HENRY’s long legislative career spent working to protect the sanctity of human 

life. 

I urge the Democrat leadership to bring the bipartisan H. 

Res. 843 to the floor for a vote. It would be a mark on this 

body if we did not honor the life and work of a man of character like HENRY HYDE. 

Mr. PENCE. On November 29, Americans learned of the 

passing of one of the giants of this Congress in the 20th century. Congressman HENRY HYDE of Illinois died at the age 

of 83. 

As Members in both parties know, throughout his nearly 

four decades in this Congress, HENRY HYDE was the essence 

of dignity, civility, and a commitment to principle. He was a 

champion of the great causes, life, liberty, and the rule of 

law, a voice for the voiceless, victims of human rights 

abuses, and he was a lion of the right to life. In every sense, 

life has lost its lion, and this movement will miss his roar. 

HENRY once quoted on this floor from his favorite poet 

Tennyson from the poem ‘‘Ulysses.’’ He said, by memory: 

Though we are not now that strength which in old days moved heaven 

and earth, that which we are, we are, one equal temper of heroic hearts 

made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, 

and not to yield. 

On all the great issues of the day, HENRY HYDE strove, he 

sought, he found, he did not yield. May he rest in peace, and 

those of us who share his values and his principles not rest 

until the work he began is done. 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, 

last night I was unable to be here when we had a tribute to 

our departed colleague, HENRY HYDE. I just wanted to say 

this about HENRY HYDE: It was a privilege and an honor to 

serve in this House with him. 

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I recall a conversation I had with him a number of years 

ago at which time I talked to him about sometimes did he 

ever get tired about the fact that people beat him up on the 

issue of abortion. And HENRY thought a minute and he said, 

‘‘You know, as I get older and I think of my own mortality, 

I look forward to the time when I might be entering those 

gates into heaven and the voices of all those young children 

that we saved welcoming me there.’’ 

They’re giving you a great welcome right now, HENRY. We 

miss you. 

THURSDAY, December 6, 2007 

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, one of the 

greatest voices to ever be heard in these Chambers has been 

lost to the ages. I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend, 

a great American and my former colleague, HENRY HYDE. 

Tomorrow in Illinois, one of the State’s most capable and eloquent Members of Congress will be laid to rest. 

It was my distinct honor to meet HENRY HYDE, to serve 

with HENRY HYDE and to call HENRY HYDE my friend. 

In this House of Representatives over the past several centuries, there have been many distinguished individuals. I 

submit that not only was HENRY HYDE one of the most distinguished, but also one of the most appreciated individuals, 

one of the finest gentlemen, one of the greatest Americans to 

serve in this, the people’s House. 

Whether he was defending the unborn or relating his position to us on any matter before this House, HENRY HYDE always spoke with dignity, conviction, principle, and eloquence. 

When HENRY HYDE addressed this House, its Members and 

all Americans listened. While everyone who knew HENRY

HYDE can tell us a very special story and personal experience 

about knowing HENRY HYDE, there are several memories 

that I will always fondly cherish and remember. 

I recall when HENRY came to my district, came to my 

home in Florida. I will never forget when HENRY HYDE

stopped me, actually in this aisleway, here on the floor of the 

House, and in that aisleway he complimented me on my remarks that day. Imagine, HENRY HYDE, the master orator, 

praising such common words. How honored I was by his 

compliment to so junior a Member on that day. There are 

many other stories I can tell about HENRY HYDE and I know 

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we can all share the other stories, but let me tell you in closing to relate one of my last memories of this great man. 

I had the privilege of traveling with HENRY to the United 

States European Interparliamentary meetings overseas, and 

on my last trip with HENRY to one of these meetings, one of 

the last times that HENRY HYDE as I recall him serving as 

chairman of the International Relations Committee, we were 

flying together with others across the Atlantic to make our 

next day’s meeting. I woke up in the middle of the night and 

everyone in the cabin on the plane was sleeping, with one exception, and that was HENRY HYDE. Some of you may recall 

HENRY had been quite ill toward the end of his service. He 

required assistance to walk, and I knew how uncomfortable 

and how difficult it was for him to travel. But here was 

HENRY HYDE so committed to his responsibility, while in 

such great personal pain and discomfort that he could not 

rest, he had to sit up in his chair all night, but he was fulfilling his duties and his responsibilities. I knew that night 

and I knew when I first met him, I knew also when I first 

heard him, and I have known, and I have been honored to 

call him my friend, I have had the opportunity to know a 

great man, a great American, the gentleman from Illinois 

(Mr. HYDE). 

To HENRY’s wife and family, and on behalf of all the people 

of the Seventh Congressional District of Florida, and personally, I extend my deepest sympathies. 

Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to honor the late Congressman HENRY HYDE who 

passed away on November 29, 2007. 

Representative HYDE was a man of great honor and a 

dedicated public servant. He served for 32 years in the U.S. 

House of Representatives, representing the Chicago suburbs. 

During that time he served as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001 and as chairman of the 

House International Affairs Committee from 2001 to 2007. 

I had the honor of serving with Mr. HYDE as a member of 

the House International Affairs Committee during his time 

as chair. He was a thoughtful and insightful committee chair 

who was willing to mentor a new Member of the other party. 

I will always remember Mr. HYDE’s help in including three 

important provisions in the original President’s Emergency 

Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). These provisions on drug resistance, orphans and vulnerable children, and tracking the 

sale of drugs on the black market were ensured a place in 

the legislation largely because of Mr. HYDE’s support. I will 

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also never forget the opportunity to travel with Mr. HYDE to 

Mexico, where it was evident that he was well respected by 

world leaders. 

One of the things I recall most clearly about Representative HYDE was his command of the English language and his 

oratorical skills. When Secretary Rice appeared before the 

International Affairs Committee, he so eloquently expressed 

his disappointment that the Bush administration had failed 

to live up to its obligation to ensure security in Iraq. 

In addition to his many years as an elected leader, Mr. 

HYDE was a celebrated athlete in college, a veteran, and a 

lawyer. In recognition of his accomplishments, in November 

of this year, Congressman HYDE was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our country’s highest civilian 

honor. 

On behalf of the families of Minnesota’s Fourth Congressional District, we extend our prayers and sincerest condolences to his wife, children and all of the family and friends 

of Representative HYDE. He will be remembered in the highest regard, and I will miss him. 

Madam Speaker, please join me in paying special tribute 

to the life and service of Congressman HENRY HYDE. 

THURSDAY, December 13, 2007 

Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 

memory of a great leader, a great man, and a truly great 

American, the Honorable HENRY HYDE. 

Known throughout Congress as a man of strong character 

and humility, Chairman HYDE served the people of the Sixth 

District of Illinois with decency and grace. From his service 

in the Navy during World War II and throughout his career 

in the U.S. House of Representatives, HENRY HYDE devoted 

his life to public service. 

In the House, he rose to the chairmanship of two committees, Judiciary and International Relations. To say that 

Chairman HYDE was an eloquent orator would be an understatement. He spoke with dignity, conviction, principle, and 

eloquence; he was a true statesman by any measure. As 

President George W. Bush said last month, ‘‘the background 

noise would stop when HENRY HYDE had the floor.’’ 

In service to the people of Illinois for over 40 years, Chairman HYDE was a champion of the rights of the unborn. He 

will probably be most remembered for his amendment that 

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prohibited the use of Federal funds for abortions—a measure 

that became known as the Hyde amendment. 

Just last month, President Bush bestowed upon Representative HYDE the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s 

highest civilian honor. The medal is designed to recognize 

great contributions to national security, the cause of peace 

and freedom, science, the arts, literature, and many other 

fields; I can think of few individuals more deserving of this 

high honor. 

Madam Speaker, our country and this great institution 

have been blessed to share in the life of Chairman HENRY

HYDE. May we never forget the leadership he displayed or 

the lessons he taught us. May we continue to keep the entire 

Hyde family in our thoughts and prayers. 

MONDAY, December 17, 2007 

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 

and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 843) mourning the passing of Congressman HENRY J. HYDE and celebrating his leadership and service to the people of Illinois and the United 

States of America, as amended. 

The Clerk read the title of the resolution. 

The text of the resolution is as follows: 

H. RES. 843 

Whereas all Members of Congress affect the history of the United States, 

but Congressman HENRY J. HYDE leaves a legacy as one of the most principled and influential public servants of his generation that will endure for 

many years; 

Whereas millions of men and women across America mourn the death of 

the distinguished former Congressman from Illinois; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE, upon his graduation from high school, earned 

a scholarship to play basketball at Georgetown University, and participated 

in the [1943] NCAA national championship basketball tournament; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE served valorously in the United States Navy 

from 1944 to 1946 in the South Pacific, New Guinea, and the Lingayen Gulf 

and continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 1968; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE returned to the United States from active duty 

in 1946, graduated a year later with a bachelor of [science] degree, and went 

on to earn a law degree from Loyola University Law School in [1949]; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE served in the Illinois House of Representatives 

from 1967 to 1974; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE was elected to serve Illinois’s Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives in 1974; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE will be remembered for his impassioned opposition to abortion, and the Hyde Amendment, which banned the federal funding of abortion; 

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Whereas HENRY J. HYDE was named chairman of the Committee on the 

Judiciary in 1995 and played a vital role in the passage of key elements of 

the Contract with America, and as a skilled lawyer and someone who loved 

the practice of law, he understood and respected the rule of law as an essential part of American democracy; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE was instrumental in the early 1980s reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and known for initiatives including 

the Family and Medical Leave Act, nutrition programs for women, infants, 

and children, Federal standards for collection of child support, and landmark patent, copyright, and trademark reform legislation; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE was named chairman of the Committee on International Relations in 2001 and worked across the political divide to successfully enact legislation to address the burgeoning international HIV/AIDS crisis, and also succeeded in enacting landmark foreign assistance legislation, 

including the creation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the expansion of United States funding for microenterprise initiatives aimed at 

helping the poor and vulnerable; 

Whereas during his long distinguished career, HENRY J. HYDE played an 

integral role in debates over United States-Soviet relations, Central America 

policy, the War Powers Act, the Taiwan Relations Act, NATO expansion, 

and the investigation of the Iran-Contra affair; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE highly respected the institutional integrity of the 

House of Representatives, and was a forceful advocate for maintaining the 

dignity of the House and for recognizing the sacrifices and struggles Members make while in its service; 

Whereas in 2006, HENRY J. HYDE retired from the House of Representatives, where he maintained ties of bipartisan civility throughout the more 

than 3 decades of dedicated service; 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE was awarded the Nation’s highest civilian honor, 

the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on November 5, 2007, for tirelessly 

championing the weak and forgotten and working to build a more hopeful 

America; and 

Whereas HENRY J. HYDE has been characterized as a statesman, a constitutional scholar, a person with sharp wit and a keen sense of history, a 

passionate orator, a compassionate man, and a person with a distinguished 

career who has left an indelible mark on the legacy of the United States 

House of Representatives: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) expresses its appreciation for the profound dedication and public service of Congressman HENRY J. HYDE; 

(2) notes that he was preceded in death by his late wife Jeanne Simpson 

and his son, Henry ‘‘Hank’’ Hyde; 

(3) tenders its deep sympathy to his wife, Judy Wolverton, to his children, 

Robert, Laura, and Anthony, and to the entire family of the former Member 

of Congress and staff; 

(4) directs that the eulogies offered concerning the life of the Honorable 

HENRY J. HYDE, former Representative from the State of Illinois, be bound 

and printed as a House document; and 

(5) directs the Clerk of the House to transmit a copy of this resolution to 

the family of Congressman HENRY J. HYDE. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and the gentleman 

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[ 39 ] 

from California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) each will control 20 

minutes. 

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. 

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time 

as I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize the service of our former 

colleague, a Member of the House of Representatives, Mr. 

HYDE, who served in the House of Representatives from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 2007, and served as chairman of 

the Judiciary Committee, as well as chairman of the International Relations Committee. 

Mr. HYDE’s life was a good, long life and a complex life as 

well. Mr. HYDE graduated from high school and earned a 

scholarship to play basketball at Georgetown University. He 

participated in the 1943 NCAA basketball tournament. As a 

college basketball fan, I think that may be the height of his 

career. But that was only the beginning. 

He went on to serve valorously in the U.S. Navy from 1944 

to 1946 in the South Pacific, New Guinea, the Guinean Gulf, 

and continued in the Reserves well into the 1960s. 

Mr. HYDE was elected to serve the constituents of the Illinois Sixth Congressional District, I think where he certainly 

contributed mightily and tremendously to the advancement 

of the Congress, as well as our country. 

I had the great opportunity to serve with HENRY HYDE as 

a member of the International Relations Committee, a somewhat junior member, then a mid-bench member. I always enjoyed the banter with the chairman; quick witted, and incredibly intelligent, steeped in history, understood every bill 

that was before him, and understood where he stood on 

those issues. 

And although Mr. HYDE and I did not agree on every political issue, I admired his tenacity. I admired his demeanor. 

I admired the way in which he handled himself, both in committee, on the floor, and as a person. 

I also had the opportunity to travel with Mr. HYDE on a 

trip to a country that is near and dear to both himself and 

myself, the country of our ancestry, Ireland. I know that he 

was proud of the work of the advancement of peace and justice in Ireland, in all of Ireland, and worked mightily toward 

that end. 

But Mr. HYDE had numerous accomplishments. And I’ll 

leave that to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to 

advance today. But I would urge the adoption of this resolution, as amended. 

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[ 40 ] 

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise in support of H. Res. 843, mourning the passage of Congressman HENRY HYDE and celebrating his leadership and 

service to the people of Illinois and the United States of 

America. 

And at this time I would like to recognize for 5 minutes 

the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), who is the prime 

sponsor of this legislation, and the successor to HENRY HYDE

in that seat from the great State of Illinois. 

Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, a special word of thanks to 

the majority leader, who worked hard to get this resolution 

on the floor, and to him I’m deeply grateful. 

You know, there’s been a lot said about HENRY HYDE over 

the past several weeks, particularly since his passing and in 

the weeks prior to that when he received the Medal of Freedom from President Bush in a White House ceremony that 

he was unable to attend due to his illness. 

And we’ve often focused in those comments on his conduct 

here in the House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, but I 

would like to give just a little bit of a glimpse of what he was 

like back at home, because the same shadow that was cast 

here in the Capitol was similarly cast in the Sixth District 

of Illinois, which is the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago. There, he was HENRY HYDE who would be routinely introduced at various gatherings, and in partisan gatherings 

he would oftentimes get a standing ovation from a very 

grateful group of Republicans. But all across the aisle, both 

sides of the aisle, people were able to approach him, and 

they would often think of him, really, as an alderman for 

that area, or almost a city councilman. And by that I don’t 

mean anything to negate his status, but simply, his accessibility as a Member of Congress, which was something really 

to behold. You could routinely find him in his district. He 

would fly back and forth every week into O’Hare Airport, 

which was right in the middle of his Sixth District of Illinois. 

And I think that he was one of those people who, when 

you think about Congressmen, you think about the very best 

and the very brightest. And I would submit that when, from 

1974 all the way up through his retirement, when people 

contemplated HENRY HYDE, he was contemplated in a way 

that was a positive reflection on this institution. When people thought of him, they thought, You know what? That’s the 

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gressman is supposed to handle himself. That’s the way a 

Congressman is supposed to interact with people on his own 

side of the aisle and, even more important, with people on 

the other side of the aisle. 

His legacy is one, and his name will inextricably be linked 

with the pro-life movement. He was a passionate advocate, 

as we all know, for the unborn. 

He did his duty in the impeachment of President Clinton. 

But those things, while they’re formative, and they’re very 

interesting, and they are who he was, sort of the lead gets 

buried if you stop the HENRY HYDE story there, because he 

was someone who was also very active and a partner in trying to reach out to come up with the funds and the support 

to take on HIV/AIDS globally. 

And he was far ahead of his time. He was one who broke 

from his ranks and voted in favor of the Family and Medical 

Leave Act, much to the chagrin, at the time, of many in his 

party who subsequently have come to see the light of that 

courage of his convictions. 

And so, Mr. Speaker, in closing, this is a time of reflection 

and it’s a time of honoring the legacy of a great man. And 

I think the words of Paul Johnson, a great British historian, 

come to mind when he wrote a history of the American people. And the British historian Johnson said, to paraphrase, 

he said this: All kinds of factors go into how history comes 

out. Just all kinds of things. But without question, the single 

most important factor are the people who are in charge at 

the time. 

And I think all of us today rise and acknowledge that 

HENRY J. HYDE and the oath that he took and the way in 

which he carried himself in office was a great credit, not only 

to this institution, but a great credit to our country. 

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to yield once 

again to my good friend from the territory of Samoa, Representative Eni Faleomavaega, for as much time as he may 

consume. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again I want to 

thank my good friend from New York for yielding me such 

time to say a few words in honoring this gentleman. 

As I’m sure that I did not want to miss this opportunity 

to stand here on the floor and to express my feelings of this 

great American, as I’m sure there may have been a special 

order already taken where Members could speak and give 

their sense of tribute to Congressman HENRY HYDE. 

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[ 42 ] 

I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his sponsorship of 

this bill, and want to thank the members of the Illinois delegation for their sponsorship of this legislation to honor my 

good friend and dear colleague, the late Congressman HENRY

J. HYDE, whom I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving with 

when he served as chairman of the House Committee on 

International Relations. 

Mr. Speaker, Chairman HYDE and I did not always agree 

on the issues and bills that were brought before our committee, but one thing that I valued tremendously concerning 

the character of this great leader, and that is he respected 

the opinions of others, even though they may have differed 

from his. 

Chairman HYDE was a great leader, a man of principle, 

and a true patriot and statesman. And above all, Mr. Speaker, he was my friend. 

I’m reminded of a Chinese proverb, Mr. Speaker, and the 

proverb states, ‘‘There are many acquaintances but very few 

friends.’’ 

Congressman HENRY HYDE was my friend. Have a good 

journey, HENRY. 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, 

one of the most fortunate things I’ve had happen in my life 

is that I was able to serve for 12 years with HENRY HYDE; 

10 years during the first period of time I served, and then 

the first 2 years of my return to the Congress. For 10 of 

those years, well, all 12 of those years, I served on the Judiciary Committee with him, and he was, in my mind, a great 

man. 

We all have our heroes, I suppose, in life. My dad’s a hero 

of mine. Ronald Reagan was a hero of mine. Mother Theresa 

is a hero of mine. And in this House, HENRY HYDE was and 

continues to be a hero of mine. 

Recently, we have had a lot of debate and discussion in the 

national press about the appropriate place for religion and 

religious values in public debate. The speech given by the 

former Governor of Massachusetts, Governor Romney, has 

been called the speech reminding people of the speech given 

by another gentleman from Massachusetts some 40 years 

ago, President John F. Kennedy. And in their own way, they 

were both outstanding speeches. 

But one of the speeches I recall on the same subject was 

given by HENRY HYDE. It was the speech he gave at my alma 

matter, the University of Notre Dame, in the same year that 

Governor Cuomo gave a speech to the university, attempting 

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[ 43 ] 

to address the question of what the proper role was of religious values in public life. 

Now, it was particularized in the fact that both Governor 

Cuomo and HENRY HYDE were Roman Catholics. But what 

they said there and what HENRY said there is not limited 

merely to a Catholic in public service, but goes to the question of what someone who has deeply held religious values 

should do when confronted with the great ideas of their time. 

Perhaps the greatest example in political history is that of 

Sir Thomas More, also known as St. Thomas More, immortalized in the great play, ‘‘A Man for All Seasons,’’ when he 

attempted to try and deal with the tremendous disconnect at 

times between what in the secular world appears to be an 

obvious conflict between deeply held values and your responsibility as an elected or appointed figure. 

Similarly, in a closer period of time in our history, a work 

that influenced the speech of John Kennedy was a great 

writing by John Courtney Murray called, ‘‘We Hold These 

Truths.’’ John Courtney Murray was a tremendous Jesuit 

priest and political theorist whose work probably was the 

greatest influence in the Catholic Church during the Second 

Vatican Council in understanding what political liberty was 

all about. And I have used both of those writings in trying 

to understand what my obligation in life is. 

But ranking alongside both of those works is this work by 

HENRY HYDE called, ‘‘For Every Idle Silence.’’ He took that 

from a statement by St. Ambrose. He said, ‘‘Not only for 

every idle word but for every silence must man render an account.’’ HENRY HYDE believed that. 

In the speech at my alma mater, HENRY HYDE said in 

1984, ‘‘This must be an election year. Everyone is talking 

about theology.’’ The reason I mention that is here we are 

20-some years past that time, and there are those that believe that this issue is arising for the first time, and somehow we have some difficulty in understanding what it’s all 

about. 

So I would just like to reflect on a few words of HENRY

HYDE in that speech which perhaps would give us some direction as we approach that same issue this year. He said: 

First and hopefully most obviously, we are not arguing about the creation 

of a theocracy or anything remotely approaching it. We’re not talking about 

declaring ourselves a Christian nation or a nation under any religion. 

But he said: 

We are, as our coinage and our Pledge of Allegiance asserts, a Nation 

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minded by our smallest coin that the true measure of ourselves comes from 

beyond ourselves. Again, for the church as well as for democracy, let us preserve the integrity of both the political process and the church. 

And he went on to say: 

In the second place, we are not arguing about whether ‘‘religion and politics should mix.’’ This formula, so simple, is also deceptive and disorienting. 

Religion, the expression of what theologian Paul Tillich called our ‘‘ultimate 

concern,’’ and politics have ‘‘mixed,’’ intermingled, shaped and influenced 

each other centuries before the conversion of Constantine. 

And HENRY goes on to say: 

And this has been true of our American experiment as well. The claim 

that American religion has always been ‘‘intensely private between the individual and God’’ would surely have come as news to John Winthrop and the 

Pilgrims, to Jonathan Edwards, to the Abolitionists, to Lincoln, to 15 generations of the black church, and not least to American Catholics taught by 

the magisterial John Courtney Murray, architect of the Vatican Council’s 

‘‘Declaration on Religious Liberty.’’ Throughout our history, religious values 

have always been a part of the public policy debate. Religious values, particularly the Judeo-Christian tradition’s insistence on the inherent dignity 

and inviolable worth of each individual human life, lie at the root of what 

Murray called the ‘‘American Proposition.’’ 

HENRY says, 

Yes, other influences shaped the Founders of our Republic. Enlightenment 

modes of political philosophy play their important role, too. But to borrow 

a phrase momentarily from the Marxists, ‘‘it is no accident’’ that Benjamin 

Franklin, one of the deistic Founders, proposed as a device on the Great 

Seal of the United States a picture of Moses lifting up his staff and dividing 

the Red Sea while the Pharaoh was overwhelmed in its waters, with the 

motto ‘‘Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.’’ 

Jefferson, often considered the most implacable foe of ‘‘mixing’’ religion 

and politics, countered with the suggestion that the Great Seal depict the 

children of Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day and a pillar of 

fire by night. 

HENRY HYDE understood that we are influenced and informed by our most deeply held beliefs and that it is not unAmerican to bring those to the debate. He also suggested 

that what we also understood was that we should not establish any particular religion or demand the American people 

bow to any particular religion. 

HENRY HYDE gave us tremendous guidance, and for those 

in the debate involved today, I would suggest they might 

want to look at HENRY’s book, ‘‘For Every Idle Silence,’’ including that speech at Notre Dame which he entitled, with 

his usual good sense and humor, ‘‘Keeping God in the Closet, 

Some Thoughts on the Exorcism of Religious Values from 

Public Life.’’ 

HENRY HYDE was a remarkable man. He had a great wit 

about him. You could argue on the floor with him as strongly 

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[ 45 ] 

as possible, and he would come over across the aisle, punch 

you in the arm and tell you a joke. He took what he did seriously, but he never took himself too seriously. He was an inspiration to me and many others around the world. 

I remember one time I asked HENRY, do you ever get tired 

being involved in the debate on the right to life, and he said 

to me, ‘‘You know, I do, but as I get older and think of my 

mortality, I think about the possibility of entering the gates 

of heaven, and I think of the faces of those children whose 

lives I’ve saved, standing there saying to me, ‘Welcome, 

HENRY, welcome.’ ’’ 

Ultimately, I think HENRY’s life can be summed up in the 

last words that he gave to the students and faculty of the 

University of Notre Dame in 1984. He said this to those students: 

And so I ask again, do you change the world or does the world change 

you? 

There was a ‘‘Just Man’’ many centuries ago who tried to save Sodom 

from destruction. Ignoring his warning, mocking him with silence, the inhabitants shielded themselves with indifference. But still he persisted, and 

taking pity on him, a child asked, ‘‘Why do you go on?’’ The Just Man replied that in the beginning, he thought he could change man. ‘‘Today,’’ he 

said, ‘‘I know I cannot. If I still shout and scream, it’s to prevent them from 

changing me!’’ 

As HENRY said to those students that day: ‘‘I hope you go 

out and change the world!’’ 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE was the Just Man. HENRY

HYDE did work. HENRY HYDE changed the world. I am 

thankful for his leadership. I’m thankful for him being a colleague. I’m thankful to be able to call him friend, and I rise 

in strong support of H. Res. 843. 

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. 

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers on 

our side and will close, and I will just say that it’s been 

noted to me that it’s highly unusual for us to have a House 

resolution honoring a former Member but maybe appropriate 

in this particular case because HENRY HYDE was an unusual 

person, and I will just go back again to my experience with 

him on the committee. 

I found him to be very fair, very just, a very abiding chairman, and was concerned as much about the decorum of the 

committee and how we conducted the business of our committee as well would be done in a fair and just way. That’s 

something that I will certainly remember HENRY HYDE for. 

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[ 46 ] 

I hope as we move forward, not only today or next year, 

but in Congresses to come, that that rapport between Members of both sides, regardless of where we find ourselves on 

issues, can conduct ourselves in a way which would make 

Chairman HYDE proud. 

The last time I saw Chairman HYDE was where I more 

often saw him sitting, next to the portrait of Lafayette here 

in the House of Representatives in a wheelchair and remarking to him, as I always did, ‘‘Mr. Chairman, how are you,’’ 

even though he was no longer chairman of a standing committee here in the House. For many of us on our side, as well 

as yours, he was always the Chairman, and we say to Chairman HYDE, God bless and Godspeed. 

Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened to learn that HENRY J. HYDE passed away on Thursday, November 29, 2007. I know I join my colleagues both 

past and present in thanking this truly remarkable man for 

his contribution to this country. 

Former Representative HENRY HYDE served his country 

honorably both in the U.S. Navy during World War II and 

later as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Representative HYDE was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1975, where he later served as chairman of 

the House Judiciary Committee and the House International 

Relations Committee. 

During his tenure in Congress, HENRY HYDE will be remembered for leading the impeachment proceedings against 

former President Bill Clinton and for his staunch opposition 

to abortion rights, both issues on which he and I strongly differed. Despite my opposition, HENRY HYDE always took principled stands on issues and legislation and personified what 

it means to be called ‘‘The Honorable.’’ 

HENRY HYDE had always been considerate to me, generous 

with his time and extremely helpful to me as a legislator. 

Not long after I was sworn in as a new Member, he acted 

as a mentor and we became close friends despite our political 

and ideological differences. I was pleased to work with 

HENRY on the Hyde-Jackson partnership, the effort to bring 

a third airport to the Chicagoland region. On this specific 

issue, I owe Congressman HYDE a debt of gratitude for his 

leadership, public service, experience and wisdom. 

I will miss my good friend and trusted mentor and my 

deepest condolences go to his family. 

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Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join this commemoration of the extraordinary life of HENRY HYDE, the 

late, able chairman of the House International Relations 

Committee. The U.S. House of Representatives lost an institutional legend this year, and those of us lucky enough to 

have served with HENRY HYDE lost a treasured friend. Although HENRY and I did not always agree on matters of policy, I have a deep and lasting respect for his service to this 

country. 

Mr. Speaker, HENRY HYDE was a giant. His integrity, intelligence, and patriotism were of towering proportions. Our 

friendship always transcended partisan political considerations and was reminiscent of an era of congressional 

collegiality. HENRY’s passionate commitment to public service and to the American people will serve as a beacon for 

generations. 

HENRY HYDE had a wide variety of legislative feathers in 

his cap, but I wish today to speak about two particularly notable accomplishments. The first rightfully bears his name— 

the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act. This bipartisan agreement was done 

with cooperation in both Chambers. It represents the right 

way of legislating—ample preparation, consideration of all 

ideas, bipartisan cooperation, cordial relations with the other 

body, and keen attention to institutional prerogatives. 

Also under HENRY’s leadership, Congress approved 

groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation to fund the global battle against the scourge of HIV/AIDS. The U.S. Leadership 

Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003 

would not have happened without HENRY’s strength and persistence, and it stands as a testament to his life and work. 

HENRY memorably—and astutely—compared the scourge of 

HIV/AIDS to the bubonic plague in its tragic scope. We are 

now in the midst of renewing the mandate of this vital legislation, and HENRY’s leading role in it will be very much on 

his colleagues’ minds. 

A member of the International Relations Committee since 

1982, HENRY was a key figure in debates and decisions about 

war and peace, international arms control, the expansion of 

NATO, and U.N. reform. He also served with distinction on 

the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, but I will let others speak to his achievements there. And of course, the continued, devoted support by his constituents through 16 terms 

in Congress speaks volumes about his work on behalf of his 

district. 

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Mr. Speaker, HENRY chaired the International Relations 

Committee for 6 years, through some of the most pivotal and 

riveting challenges of our times. He wielded his gavel with 

fairness, intellectual honesty and no small amount of wit. 

Some of us may disagree with some of his policies, but he 

was a true gentleman of the House, and he will be deeply 

and sincerely missed. 

Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today to 

honor a great American. HENRY HYDE was a true gentleman 

and a greatly respected Member of Congress. Many words 

come to mind when I think of Mr. HYDE: leadership, aggressiveness, determination, dignity. Many sought counsel from 

him, including me. He was a tremendous orator, with a keen 

mind and a silver tongue. Members of both parties liked and 

respected him, because they knew that, regardless of party 

or ideology, they would be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. 

Unfortunately, HENRY HYDE has been criticized in the 

press for leading the impeachment proceedings against 

President Bill Clinton, but the most important cause he led 

was to protect life. His political career was comprehensive, 

but it is his work to protect and promote the dignity of 

human life that has had the greatest impact. His efforts in 

this body are unmatched, and he leaves a profound legacy of 

challenges met, obstacles overcome, and grace in tumultuous 

times. He will be deeply missed, and our prayers go to the 

entire Hyde family during this difficult time. 

I join many of my colleagues in praising the life and work 

of HENRY HYDE. The greatest tribute we can give him is to 

carry on his efforts to acknowledge the worth of every single 

human being, born and unborn. I encourage Members of this 

body and our constituents to follow HENRY’s lead and make 

sure that we honor the value of life. 

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of Congressman HYDE, the country lost a true patriot who was deeply 

dedicated to the American people. He had a distinguished career in public service, beginning with his time in the Navy 

during World War II, followed by his service in the Illinois 

General Assembly, and then in the House of Representatives. HENRY’s leadership and steadfastness to principle 

quickly became apparent in the House. He always was a 

stalwart defender of the rights of the unborn, and pushed 

the Congress to see clearly the impact of its decisions on the 

defenseless. 

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[ 49 ] 

I was honored to serve with HENRY while he was chairman 

of the Judiciary Committee, enduring long markups to move 

the Contract with America legislation, equipping our law enforcement with the tools to fight terrorism, and combating 

the scourge of drugs in our society. His amiable personality 

hid an individual who did not shy from a fight, especially 

when it came to upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, 

and other interests of the United States. As a fellow House 

impeachment manager, and as one of the ‘‘band of brothers,’’ 

I am truly honored to call him my brother and I will miss 

him. 

Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 

my time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion 

offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) that 

the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. 

Res. 843, as amended. 

The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as 

amended, was agreed to. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. 

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to 

honor the life and memory of Congressman HENRY J. HYDE, 

the Representative of the Sixth District of Illinois from 1975 

to 2007. Congressman HYDE was a distinguished and wellrespected member of this body, serving for 32 years in the 

House of Representatives. 

During his tenure, Congressman HYDE served honorably 

as the chairman of the Judiciary and International Relations 

Committees and contributed much to this Nation. My 

thoughts and prayers go out to Congressman HYDE’s family 

and friends during this difficult time. 

While Congressman HYDE’s accomplishments are many, I 

want to take a moment to share one that is both emblematic 

of the mark he left and of which I am particularly grateful. 

During the 109th Congress, I had the pleasure of working 

with Congressman HYDE to help spur the creation of the first 

Jewish American Heritage Month. 

As the lead Republican cosponsor of the House Resolution, 

Congressman HYDE was instrumental in garnering the support of the President of the United Sates and Republican 

leadership in the House, especially that of Speaker Hastert. 

With support from around the country, the House and 

Senate passed resolutions in early 2006 urging the President 

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to establish Jewish American Heritage Month. President 

Bush then proclaimed the first Jewish American Heritage 

Month in May 2006 so that Americans could come together 

to celebrate the many contributions that Jews have made to 

the fabric of our society. 

Thanks to Congressman HYDE’s commitment and dedication, American Jewish culture and heritage is now celebrated 

each May by our Nation. In appreciation of this leadership, 

and in honor of Congressman HYDE’s lifetime commitment to 

serving his country, I have requested that a tree be planted 

in Israel dedicated to his memory. 

I again express my deepest sympathy to Congressman 

HYDE’s family, friends, and the people of Illinois. 

WEDNESDAY, December 19, 2007 

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, we are all saddened by the 

passing of our friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. HYDE). He will be sorely missed not only by his fellow Members, but by the countless people who came in contact with him on a daily basis. 

One such person is Mr. Bert Caswell, a guide with the 

Capitol Guide Service. I am including for the Record a poem 

written by Bert about the late Mr. HYDE . . . . I hope all 

Members will take the time to read this poem and remember 

HENRY HYDE. 

SOMETHINGS, YOU CAN NOT HYDE! 

Somethings! 

You can not HYDE! 

That lives with us, so very deep down inside . . . throughout our lives! 

All in what we say and do! 

All in who we so touch . . . that make us a real who’s who! 

As in our times, that which so comes into view! 

For it’s all about how you so carry yourself, as when you rise! 

For it’s all in what you so do, in others’ eyes, as your time upon this earth 

goes by! 

For these are the things that which one can not HYDE! 

Fast breaking in our lives! 

To court our hearts, all in our part called life that which so defines! 

All in The Game of Life, you were so great HENRY HYDE! 

HENRY HYDE, was such The Man . . . 

Who upon the hardwood and on the floor of The House, did so boldly stand! 

All because of his great heart, and stance . . . and his gentle hand! 

From That Land of Lincoln . . . 

From one court of greatness to another, always thinking! 

As across the aisle he reached out his hand! 

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Quiet in his calm and caring grace. 

For his service to God and Country he now so holds his place . . . 

And for all of those magnificent children, he did stand! 

Oh, HENRY HYDE, 

You were, But The Man! For in you we can so understand! 

What it is to be a leader, a patriot, a family man . . . and God fearing man! 

Yes, In Life . . . Somethings, You Just Can Not HYDE! 

TUESDAY, January 22, 2008 

Mr. KING of Iowa. . . . We said goodbye to the elegant 

statesman and the great lion for life, HENRY HYDE, Chairman HENRY HYDE. Many of us count him as a friend. I 

counted him as one of the honors of my life to be able to call 

him as a friend and someone whom I admired. 

The words on the program at HENRY HYDE’s funeral were 

a quote from him that say this: 

When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgement, I’ve often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that 

it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there 

alone standing before God, and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement 

will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never 

been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next 

world, and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. 

They will say to God, ‘‘Spare him because he loved us,’’ and God will look 

at you and say not ‘‘Did you succeed?’’ but ‘‘Did you try?’’ 

God bless his life and his effort, and may he save the lives 

of the unborn. 

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Proceedings in 

the Senate 

FRIDAY, December 7, 2007 

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in honor 

of Representative HENRY HYDE, who, as we all know, passed 

away last Thursday. I believe all those who knew HENRY will 

remember him for his sincere moral convictions and his dedication to the country. 

Representative HYDE was born in Chicago in 1924. He 

graduated from Georgetown University, where he was a 

standout on the basketball team that made it all the way to 

the 1943 national championship game. He went on to obtain 

a law degree from Loyola University. 

HENRY was in the Navy during World War II, serving in 

combat in the Philippines. After the war, he served for more 

than 20 years in the Naval Reserve, eventually obtaining the 

rank of Commander. 

In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives 

where he would represent the citizens of the Sixth Congressional District of Illinois for 32 years. During his time in the 

House, he became known as a steadfast proponent of the 

rights of the unborn, authoring the Hyde amendment, which, 

to this day, ensures that Federal taxpayer funds are not 

used in the performance of abortions. He was also a stalwart 

supporter of our Nation’s military and firm believer in the 

need to uphold the rule of law. 

HENRY and I had the distinct privilege of having our chairmanships of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees 

overlap for a substantial period of time. We worked together 

on numerous pieces of legislation and I always enjoyed the 

passion and energy he brought to every issue. HENRY was a 

very capable legislator and a man of deep convictions. Last 

month, President Bush honored Representative HYDE by 

awarding him our Nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. During the ceremony, which 

HENRY could not attend due to his declining health, the 

President described HENRY as a ‘‘powerful defender of life, a 

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leading advocate for a strong national defense, and an unwavering voice for liberty, democracy, and free enterprise 

around the world.’’ 

While there were times that Representative HYDE found 

himself in the middle of divisive and fiercely partisan debates, I don’t think that anyone would doubt that he always 

sought to stand behind his principles and to do what he believed was best for our country. I want to express my deepest 

condolences to Representative HYDE’s family and my thanks 

for his years of service to our great Nation. He will be sorely 

missed. 

WEDNESDAY, December 12, 2007 

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today, I am introducing a 

Senate resolution to honor the life and work of Congressman 

HENRY JOHN HYDE of Illinois. I authored this resolution because I knew HENRY HYDE for over 20 years. In fact, he and 

I were 2 of 16 Republicans who were first elected to the 

House of Representatives in 1974. 

Congressman HYDE was a true leader in the House of Representatives. He proved his leadership by authoring the 

Hyde amendment to help protect the lives of unborn children. Because of this long-standing policy, innocent lives 

have been saved and taxpayers have not been forced to fund 

abortions. 

HENRY HYDE was intelligent, as was proved during his 

tenure as chairman of two different committees—the House 

Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on 

International Relations. In his 32 years in the House of Representatives, he was dedicated to the rule of law as well as 

the expansion of freedom around the world. 

He was a great Representative for the people of his district, and he leaves an important legacy for our Nation. It is 

with great respect that I introduce this resolution in his 

honor. 

THURSDAY, December 13, 2007 

SENATE RESOLUTION 405—RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND 

CONTRIBUTIONS OF HENRY JOHN HYDE 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Coburn, 

Mr. Cornyn, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 

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Sununu, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Allard, Mr. Bunning, Ms. Snowe, 

Mr. Domenici, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Coleman, Mr. 

Vitter, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Thune, Mr. Bennett, Mr. 

Crapo, Mr. Craig, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Smith, Mr. 

Graham, Mr. Inhofe, and Mr. Corker) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to: 

S. RES. 405 

Whereas Representative HENRY JOHN HYDE of Illinois was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on April 18, 1924; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE excelled as a student both at Georgetown University, at which he helped take the Hoyas basketball team to the National 

Collegiate Athletic Association semifinals in 1943 [1943 NCAA championship] and from which he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 

1947, and at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, from which he graduated in 1949; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE served his country for his entire adult life, as an 

officer of the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, where he served in 

combat in the Philippines during World War II, in the United States Navy 

Reserve from 1946 to 1968, from which he retired at the rank of Commander, as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1967 to 

1974 and Majority Leader of that body from 1971 to 1972, as a delegate to 

the Illinois Republican State Conventions from 1958 to 1974, and as a Republican Member of the United States House of Representatives for 16 Congresses, over 3 decades from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 2007; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE served as the Ranking Member on the Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991, 

in the 99th through 101st Congresses, and as chairman of the Committee 

on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives from the 104th through 

106th Congresses and the Committee on International Relations from the 

107th through 109th Congresses; 

Whereas, in his capacity as a United States Representative, HENRY HYDE

tirelessly served as a champion for children, both born and unborn, and relentlessly defended the rule of law; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE demonstrated his commitment to the rule of law 

during his tenure in the House of Representatives, once stating, ‘‘The rule 

of law is no pious aspiration from a civics textbook. The rule of law is what 

stands between us and the arbitrary exercise of power by the state. The rule 

of law is the safeguard of our liberties. The rule of law is what allows us 

to live our freedom in ways that honor the freedom of others while strengthening the common good . . . If across the river in Arlington Cemetery there 

are American heroes who died in defense of the rule of law, can we give less 

than the full measure of our devotion to that great cause?’’; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE was a key player in some of the highest level debates concerning the response to the terrorist attacks on our Nation on September 11, 2001; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the 

Nation’s highest civilian honor, on November 5, 2007, at a ceremony at 

which President George W. Bush explained about Representative HYDE, ‘‘He 

used his persuasive powers for noble causes. He stood for a strong and purposeful America—confident in freedom’s advance, and firm in freedom’s defense. He stood for limited, accountable government, and the equality of 

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every person before the law. He was a gallant champion of the weak and 

forgotten, and a fearless defender of life in all its seasons.’’; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE’s greatest legacy is as the author, during his freshman term in the House of Representatives, of an amendment to the 1976 

Departments of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriations 

Act—commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment—that prohibits Federal 

dollars from being used to pay for the abortion of unborn babies, which conservative figures estimate has saved at least 1,000,000 lives; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE lived by the belief that we will all be judged by 

our Creator in the end for our actions here on Earth, which he once explained on the floor of the House of Representatives by saying, ‘‘Our moment in history is marked by a mortal conflict between a culture of life and 

a culture of death. God put us in the world to do noble things, to love and 

to cherish our fellow human beings, not to destroy them. Today we must 

choose sides.’’; 

Whereas HENRY HYDE selflessly battled for the causes that formed the 

core of his beliefs until the end of his life, and was greatly respected by his 

friends and adversaries alike for his dedication and will remain a role model 

for advocates of those causes by virtue of his conviction, passion, wisdom, 

and character; and 

Whereas HENRY HYDE was preceded in death by his first wife, Jeanne, 

and his son Hank, and is survived by his second wife, Judy, his sons Robert 

and Anthony and daughter Laura, 3 stepchildren, Susan, Mitch, and Stephen, 7 grandchildren, and 7 step-grandchildren: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate— 

(1) notes with deep sorrow the death of HENRY JOHN HYDE on November 

29, 2007, in Chicago; 

(2) extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family of HENRY HYDE; 

(3) recognizes the life of service and the outstanding contributions of 

HENRY HYDE; and 

(4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of this resolution 

to the family of HENRY HYDE. 

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Henry J. Hyde 

In Memoriam 

April 18, 1924–November 29, 2007 


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Introductory Rites 

Placing the Pall 

Entrance Hymn #612 Amazing Grace 

Opening Prayer 

Liturgy of the Word 

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:11–20 

Honorable Duncan Hunter 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23 

‘‘Shepherd me O God, beyond my wants, 

beyond my needs, from death into life’’ 

Second Reading: Romans 14:7–9, 10b–12 

Honorable David Dreier 

Gospel: Luke 5:17–26 

Fr. Richard A. Rosinski 

Homily 

Fr. Daniel P. Coughlin 

Prayers of the Faithful 

Mr. Tony Hyde 

Liturgy of the Eucharist 

Offertory Hymn: Ave Maria 

Presentation of the Gifts 

Tom and Melinda Mooney 

Communion Hymn #814 Taste and See 

‘‘Taste and see the goodness of the Lord’’ 

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Final Commendation 

Remarks 

Honorable John Boehner 

Honorable Jerry Costello 

Mr. Bob Hyde 

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. 

Prayer of Commendation 

Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran 

Recessional Hymn #404 Jesus Remember Me 

‘‘Jesus Remember me when you come 

into your kingdom’’ 

Pall bearers 

Honorable Wayne Anderson 

Mr. Pat Durante 

Mr. Mitch Glazier 

Mr. Stephen Glazier 

Mr. Jim Schiesser 

Mr. Tom Smeeton 

‘‘When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that 

awesome moment, the final judgement, I’ve often thought, 

as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of 

loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there 

alone standing before God, and a terror will rip through your 

soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that 

those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think 

there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard 

in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the 

next world, and they will plead for everyone who has been 

in this movement. They will say to God, ‘Spare him because 

he loved us,’ and God will look at you and say 

not ‘Did you succeed?’ but ‘Did you try?’ ’’ 

Henry J. Hyde 

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Father Richard A. Rosinski. I bless the body of HENRY, 

with the holy water that recalls the day of his baptism, of 

which Saint Paul writes: All of us who were baptized into 

Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. By baptism into 

his death we were buried together with him, so that just as 

Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, 

we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with 

him by likeness to his death, we shall also be united with 

him by likeness to his resurrection. 

On the day of his baptism HENRY put on Christ. In the day 

of Christ’s coming, may he be clothed with glory. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Good morning. As we gather 

this morning to celebrate, remember the life of HENRY HYDE

we ask you to please join us in singing our opening hymn— 

number 612 in the Green Gather Hymnal. Amazing Grace, 

number 612. 

[Amazing Grace] 

Father Richard A. Rosinski. With profound memories, 

and great respect, in silence let us pray. 

[Silence] 

O mighty God our father, we firmly believe that your son 

died and rose to life. We pray for our brother, HENRY, who 

has died in Christ. Raise him at that last day, to share the 

glory of the risen Christ, who lives and reigns with you and 

the Holy Spirit, one God for ever, and ever. 

People. Amen. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Mr. Hunter. 

Duncan Hunter. You know since ancient times when travelers needed guidance they have always had that great 

North Star. And no matter how difficult the journey they 

could always look up and see that precise guidance shining 

bright and faithful and always there for anybody who wanted to lift their eyes. HENRY HYDE was the North Star of the 

U.S. Congress. 

This reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. 

For his command, which I enjoin on you today, is not too 

mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky that 

you should say ‘‘who will go up in the sky to get it for us 

and tell us of it. That we may carry it out.’’ Nor is it across 

the sea that you should say, ‘‘who will cross the sea to get 

it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out.’’ Know 

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it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and 

in your hearts. You have only to carry it out. Today I set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the 

commandments of the Lord your God, which I enjoin on you 

today—loving him and walking in his ways, and keeping his 

commandments, statutes, and decrees, you will live and grow 

numerous and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land 

you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your 

hearts and will not listen, and are led astray and adore and 

serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish. You will not have a long life on the land which you are 

crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy. I call heaven and 

Earth today to witness against you. I have set before you life 

and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life then that 

you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord your 

God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will 

mean life for you, and a long life for you to live on the land 

which the Lord swore he will give to you. 

[Shepherd Me O God] 

David Dreier. No one could have asked for a better friend 

than HENRY HYDE, and to the family I have to say what an 

honor it is to participate today. 

A reading of the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. 

None of us lives for oneself and no one dies for oneself. If 

we live, we live for the Lord and if we die, we die for the 

Lord. So then, whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. For 

this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be 

Lord of both the dead and the living for we shall all stand 

before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘‘as I live’’ 

says the Lord, ‘‘every knee shall bend before me and every 

tongue shall give praise to God.’’ 

For all of us shall give an account of ourselves to God. 

The word of the Lord. 

People. Thanks be to God. 

[Alleluia] 

Father Richard A. Rosinski. My sisters and brothers, may 

the Lord be with you. 

People. And also with you. 

Celebrant. Hear a proclamation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke. 

People. Glory to you, Lord. 

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Celebrant. One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and 

teachers of the law were sitting there, would come from 

every village in Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem and the 

power of the Lord was with Him for healing. And some men 

brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed. They were 

trying to bring him in and set him in his presence but not 

finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they 

went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher 

through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When he 

saw their faith he said, ‘‘As for you, your sins are forgiven.’’ 

When the scribes and Pharisees began asking themselves, 

‘‘Who is this who speaks blasphemy? Who but God alone can 

forgive sins?’’ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in 

reply ‘‘What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier 

to say—‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say ‘rise and walk’? But 

that you might know that the Son of Man has authority on 

Earth to forgive sins.’’ He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘‘I say to you, rise. Pick up your stretcher and go 

home.’’ He stood up immediately before them, picked up 

what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 

Then astonishment seized all and they glorified God and 

struck with awe they said, ‘‘We have seen incredible things 

today.’’ 

The Gospel of the Lord. 

People. Praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. The consistent teaching of 

Holy Scripture is to outline a consistent ethic of life with the 

living God. By the Spirit each of us can account to the Lord 

and his Word throughout a lifetime. At times, a specific passage of Scripture can make a most powerful impact simply 

because it is read on a particular day at a singular moment 

upon a most significant event. For example, the words ‘‘if we 

live, we live for the Lord, if we die, we die for the Lord’’ have 

a special significance because it is December 7 and we remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 

Today, the words ‘‘The Lord your God will bless you in the 

land you occupy’’ have a special meaning for American 

Catholics who celebrate the patronal feast of the United 

States tomorrow, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I 

want to tell you why the Gospel we just heard was chosen. 

This Gospel has become a haunting and living parable for 

me since I learned of HENRY HYDE’s death. 

Luke’s narrative is a story of one man’s encounter with the 

Lord Jesus Christ. 

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Because this is a story about a man wanting to be closer 

to the Lord, the house, the people of faith around him, and 

about a whole new life, it seems to me to be a parabolic story 

of Congressman HYDE. 

Luke explains the scene in great detail. On this particular 

day, Jesus is teaching. His teaching however is not framed 

by the past. No, the teaching of Jesus is ongoing and for everyone. Especially in this passage, for religious and civic 

teachers of the law. He seems to advise that law is not to 

divide people but for healing. When there are cracks, gaps, 

fractures, or wedges in the social fabric, law is needed for 

binding, holding people together. Law is not some foreign 

form of dogmatic imposition, but often the result of an elongated process of forming human convictions that unite individual rights and responsibilities with the common good of 

all. The power revealed is not Machiavellian manipulation. 

Good law reveals the power of the Lord. 

Here the Lord of the living and the dead comes to heal. 

The Gospel text goes on to describe that some people gathered around the man who was unable to move himself now. 

They know the man’s desire to be closer to the Lord. It 

seems people gravitate easily around a man who seeks only 

justice and healing so they want to present, put him right 

in front of Jesus. They come together and after testing the 

crowd they find a way into the house. When the Lord sees 

their faith he turns toward the man and says ‘‘your sins are 

forgiven. No matter what you are thinking, rise and walk.’’ 

It is their faith, not the man lying there, that moves the 

Lord to act. 

How blessed is the man who unites others around him. He 

may know when and how to speak with authority, but he 

knows also when to keep silent and how to read the speech 

and thinking of others. How blessed is the man who does not 

take himself all so seriously or takes on a task only as his 

own. Rather he glories in the work as the common achievement of a whole team of people. How blessed is the lawgiver 

rooted in principle and not popularity. And blessed is the 

man who has a sense of humor about himself. He can smile 

at the crowd, the lawmakers, and even laugh about the loose 

tiles in the roof of the house itself. How blessed is the man 

who can readily confess his sins and know that God does forgive sin in this world. 

He most likely knows how to suspend judgment while in 

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tion himself, he can figure out a way to move beyond preconceived notions and witness forgiveness to others. 

So how thrilling then, is this story of human suffering, 

human limitation, and any form of paralysis which can be 

lifted by the Lord. The man hears the Lord say to him, ‘‘rise, 

walk.’’ The man picks up all the pieces which until then were 

holding him and his life together. He gets up and walks 

again. A whole new life ahead of him. He goes home glorifying God, now truly free. That very deep longing in the 

heart is brought to a new dimension of fulfillment. Going 

home. 

In this Gospel the Lord asks the crowd, ‘‘What are you 

thinking in your hearts?’’ Hopefully today, you can answer 

the Lord’s question. By looking beyond the mind’s eye, beyond the appearance of death in the crowd, beyond the appearance of bread and wine, personal sorrow and loss, rather, look into your heart, amidst your desires, your loves, your 

longings, your hopes. They’re in your heart. What are you 

thinking? 

Can you sense the pulsating life of resurrection?’ Perhaps 

you may draw closer to those who knew HENRY well: his 

wife, his family, his staff, some colleagues, the Lord himself. 

And come to know the uncanny sense of timing, the great 

sense of humor, enjoying this parable story unfolding before 

us, in the gentleman from Illinois, who in his career was 

often asked, ‘‘Why do you rise?’’ 

If this Gospel story is in any way true of him, you may 

even hear him say, ‘‘Sometimes, when the scene seems impossible, you just have to lift the roof off the house.’’ 

My brothers and sisters, have we not seen incredible 

things in our day? 

Thank you, HENRY. 

And all praise and thanks to you our Lord Jesus Christ 

now and for ever. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Brothers and sisters, Jesus 

Christ has risen from the dead and in glory now intercedes 

for his people. Confident that God hears the voices of the 

brokenhearted and all who trust in the Lord, let us now offer 

petitions for the living and the dead. To each invocation let 

us respond ‘‘Lord, hear our prayer.’’ 

Tony Hyde. In baptism, HENRY HYDE received the light of 

Christ. Scatter the darkness now and lead him to eternal 

glory. 

We pray to the Lord. 

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People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Tony Hyde. As a father, we shared at his table. As a public 

servant he was nourished at the table of Christ, our Savior. 

Welcome him into the halls of the heavenly banquet. 

We pray to the Lord. 

People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Tony Hyde. That those in public office may promote justice 

and peace. 

We pray to the Lord. 

People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Tony Hyde. That those who bear the cross of pain in mind 

or body may never feel forsaken by God and be consoled by 

the care and love of others. 

We pray to the Lord. 

People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Tony Hyde. For the family and friends, colleagues, and staff 

of HENRY HYDE, that they may be consoled in their grief by 

the Lord who wept for his friend Lazarus and forgave the repentant thief on the cross. 

We pray to the Lord. 

People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Tony Hyde. For all of our deceased relatives and friends. 

For all who have helped us along the path of life and that 

they may have the full reward of their goodness. 

We pray to the Lord. 

People. Lord, hear our prayer. 

Father Richard A. Rosinski. Ever attendant father to 

your children, hear the prayers which we speak and those 

hidden in our hearts. For we place all our trust in your holy 

name now and for ever. Amen. 

[Ave Maria] 

Father Richard A. Rosinski. My brothers and sisters, pray 

that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God the almighty Father. 

People. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for 

the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good 

of all his Church. 

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Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Lord, receive the gifts we offer 

for the salvation of HENRY HYDE. May Christ reconcile and 

offer him favorable judgment, for he believed in Christ as his 

living Lord and Savior. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

May the Lord be with you. 

People. And also with you. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Lift up your hearts. 

People. We lift them up to the Lord. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Let us give thanks to the Lord 

our God. 

People. It is right to give him thanks and praise. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Father, all-powerful and everliving God, we do well always and everywhere to give you 

thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

In him, who rose from the dead, our own hope of everlasting life has dawned. The sadness of death gives way to 

the bright promise of immortality. Lord, for your faithful 

people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our 

death in this world’s dwelling we are given the promise of 

everlasting life in the glory of heaven. And so, with choirs of 

angels we proclaim your glory and join in their unending 

hymn of praise. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Father, you are holy indeed, 

and all creation rightly gives you praise. All life, all holiness 

comes from you through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by 

the working of the Holy Spirit. From age to age you gather 

a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name. 

And so Father, we bring you these gifts. We ask you to 

make them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may 

become the body and blood of your son, our Lord Jesus 

Christ, at whose command we celebrate this Eucharist. 

On the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you 

thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: 

Take this, all of you, and eat it: This is my body which will 

be given up for you. 

When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave 

you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and 

said: 

Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of 

my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It 

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will be shed for you and for all men so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me. 

Celebrant. Let us proclaim the mystery of faith. 

[Christ Is Risen] 

Celebrant. Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes 

again, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice. 

Look with favor on your Church’s offering, and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself. 

Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, 

may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one 

spirit in Christ. 

May he make us an everlasting gift to you and enable us 

to share in the inheritance of your saints, with Mary, the virgin mother of God; with the apostles, the martyrs, Saint 

John Neumann and all your saints, on whose constant intercession we rely for help. 

Lord, may this sacrifice, which we offer to you, bring 

peace, advance the peace in the world. Strengthen in faith 

and love your pilgrim Church on earth; your servant Pope 

Benedict, our Bishop Thomas, and all the bishops, with the 

clergy religious and the entire people your Son has gained 

for you. Father, hear the prayers of the family you have 

gathered here before you. In mercy and love unite all your 

children wherever they may be. 

Celebrant. Lord remember HENRY. In baptism he died with 

Christ: may he also share his resurrection, when Christ will 

raise our mortal bodies and make them like his own in glory. 

Welcome into your kingdom our departed brothers and sisters, and all who have left this world in your friendship. 

There we hope to share in your glory when every tear will 

be wiped away. On that day we shall see you, our God, as 

you are. We shall become like you and praise you for ever 

through Christ our Lord, from whom all good things come. 

Celebrant. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of 

the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. 

[Amen] 

Celebrant. Let us pray in the risen Christ, as Jesus taught 

us to pray. 

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Celebrant and People. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on 

Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; 

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver 

us from evil. 

Celebrant. Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us 

peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and 

protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the 

coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

People. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are 

yours, now and for ever. 

Celebrant. Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I 

leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, 

but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and 

unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever. 

People. Amen. 

Celebrant. The peace of the Lord be with you always. 

People. And also with you. 

Celebrant. Let us offer each other a sign of our communion 

and peace. 

[Jesus Lamb of God] 

Celebrant. Please kneel or be seated. 

Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the 

sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to this 

communion. 

People. Lord, I am not worthy to see you, but only say the 

word and I shall be healed. 

[music] 

Celebrant. As we receive communion please join in singing 

page 814, Taste and See, page 814. 

[Taste and See] 

[Steal Away to Jesus] 

Celebrant. Let us pray. Lord God, your son Jesus Christ 

gave us the sacrament of his body and blood, to guide us on 

our pilgrim way to your kingdom. May our brother HENRY

who shared in the Eucharist come to the banquet of life 

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Christ has prepared for us all. We ask this through Christ 

our Lord. 

People. Amen. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Please be seated. 

We want to welcome some remarks. 

Mr. John Boehner. 

Congressman John Boehner. HENRY HYDE was not just a 

congressional hero. He was an American hero. And on a personal note, he was my hero. I have served with thousands 

of fine people during the 17 years I have been in the House. 

There is no one I admired more than HENRY HYDE. No one. 

He was a loving father, grandfather, and devoted husband. 

HENRY HYDE was also a leader. He never served as Speaker, 

or majority leader, or minority leader. He was a legislative 

giant in his own right. He left an indelible mark on our institution through the sheer force of his presence, his intellect, 

and the example he set for all. 

His accomplishments in Congress were broad and numerous—so broad and numerous they are difficult to fully chronicle. He led a movement in Congress to ensure our Nation’s 

laws respect the sanctity of every precious human life. He 

led the men and women of our institution, teaching us about 

honor, dignity, and service to country through his own humble actions. He led the people of his Chicago district for 

many years, providing them with distinguished service always marked by wisdom, class, and grace. He led a committee in Congress that stood strong, like a rock, when the 

constitutional principles at the heart of our democracy were 

challenged. Most of all, he led by treating all men and 

women with dignity and respect, regardless of who they were 

or what they believed. 

Treating everyone with dignity and respect came naturally 

to HENRY. Not just because he was kind and full of decency, 

but because he truly believed all human life is precious. 

HENRY was at peace in the presence of others—even those 

who disagreed with him most—because of his unshakeable 

faith in the sanctity of every human life. In a vocation often 

marked by senseless, noisy debate, HENRY HYDE was a clear, 

calm, and commanding voice for justice; for the defenseless; 

for the innocent. Always. 

There is a famous prayer called the Serenity Prayer, 

known to many who practice the Christian faith. HENRY

probably said it many times, perhaps in his own unique way. 

In this prayer, we pray God will give us the courage to 

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change what we can change; the serenity to accept what we 

cannot change; and the wisdom to know the difference. If 

ever there was a life that offered irrefutable evidence that 

the Lord hears this prayer and answers it, it was the life of 

HENRY HYDE. He was the definition of courage, serenity, and 

wisdom. He had all three, in seemingly endless supply. 

Those traits are now his legacy. From the streets of his 

hometown in Illinois to the Halls of the U.S. Congress, his 

words and deeds will echo for generations to come. HENRY

HYDE, your Nation will never forget you. Rest in peace, my 

friend. 

Congressman Melvin L. Watt. To Father Coughlin and 

honorable clergy, to my distinguished colleagues and all 

friends and colleagues of HENRY HYDE, his constituents, and 

friends, and most important, to his wonderful family whom 

I’ve gotten to know—I am deeply honored to have been asked 

by the family to say a few words today. 

I suspect there will be people who will say that it is somewhat counterintuitive that the family selected me to say 

some words. There will be those who say ‘‘Well, isn’t that the 

guy who was a persistent and ardent opponent of just about 

everything that HENRY HYDE did during his chairmanship in 

the Judiciary?’’ Perhaps some people will remember, ‘‘Well, 

that Mel Watt was the guy that accused HENRY HYDE of 

driving the train that was moving toward the impeachment 

of the President.’’ 

But I think those people will miss an important point, because in a sense, and my colleagues will bear this out, the 

relationship that I had with HENRY HYDE is part and parcel 

symptomatic of the relationship that we desired to have in 

Congress. In that sense it is symbolic of what is good and 

wonderful about Congress, and good and wonderful about 

our democracy. It reflects itself on various levels, it of course 

reflects itself first of all and most visibly in our politics and 

in the political arena. 

Where HENRY and I played on different teams, represented 

different constituencies, came from different backgrounds, 

represented the diversity of America and yet, understood 

that that’s exactly what our Founding Fathers set up as a 

mechanism of bringing us all together to resolve our differences. And when you served with HENRY HYDE you immediately began to understand that he knew the rules under 

which we operate and he was a wonderful legislator and a 

magnificent orator and so even when you disagreed with him 

and his positions you’d sit on the floor of the House and lisVerDate jan 13 2004 11:36 Apr 16, 2008 Jkt 039800 PO 00000 Frm 00083 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\HYDE\39800A.BST CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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ten to HENRY HYDE and his eloquence and magnificence. And 

you’d say, as we all were confident, ‘‘You know, there’s going 

to come an issue around where HENRY is on my side and I 

can’t find a better more devoted colleague when that time 

comes because I know he will stand and fight with me. And 

there were those issues. 

There’s another level on which I know HENRY HYDE and 

that’s the level of being an American. We don’t always appreciate that level inside our country because we are constantly 

trying to make America live up to the standards that the 

Constitution has set out for us. But when you go outside the 

country you begin to understand the feeling that America 

takes. You carry the flag and there are some rules and protocols that prevail out there too because you want to show the 

world your diversity but you want to show them that regardless of who the President of the United States is or what is 

going on there is a rule of law. There are a set of principles 

that transcend who’s the President or who’s in charge, and 

they relate to justice and democracy and liberty. And there 

was no better person to take that message around the world 

than HENRY HYDE. 

I traveled with him to Europe, to China, to Korea, to the 

DMZ, to the Philippines, where he had jumped out of a boat 

and rushed up onto the shore when he was in the military. 

To South America where we landed on the runway and were 

never allowed off the plane. To Fiji where we met with the 

General and said ‘‘Please don’t stage a coup,’’ and 6 months 

later he staged a coup. 

That’s where I found HENRY HYDE as an American, not inside our country—there, standing for the things we hold so 

dear in our country. There’s a final level that those first two 

levels made it much, much easier for me to relate to HENRY

HYDE. That’s the level of our common humanity. Because 

when you are spending as much time in close proximity and 

talking to people, and especially HENRY HYDE, you come to 

know that none of what he was standing for had to do with 

politics or partisanship. He believed every word that he 

spoke. The sanctity of life wasn’t a political slogan to HENRY

HYDE, it was what he believed. 

I found it ironic that last night in Washington, the two 

football teams, from the two places that HENRY spent most 

of his life, played each other—the Bears and the Redskins, 

and I was amazed that at the end of the game, the Bears 

and Redskins together went to the center of the field, many 

of them, and they recognized their respect for each other and 

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they recognized their common humanity by kneeling and 

praying to God—they circled the wagons there. 

Today I think our colleagues here in Congress have come 

to circle the wagons around HENRY HYDE. To kneel, and 

pray, and thank God for the impact that this wonderful man 

had on each and every one of us. I thank the family for giving us this opportunity to share this wonderful man, and for 

recognizing the great relationship that transcended all of our 

differences and found us as Americans and with a common 

humanity all at that point. I thank God for the impact that 

HENRY HYDE had on my life. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. I understand from family that 

there were some other Members of Congress who wish to say 

some words. 

Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. Your Eminence, 

members of the clergy, members of the Hyde family and Mrs. 

Hyde, we are here on behalf of a very grateful Nation to 

share this hour of bereavement with you and offer some 

words of comfort. I’ve often felt that the short speeches subject to an agreement between Democrats and Republicans, 

the moment of silence followed by the finality of the gavel, 

for me at least, fails to capture the essence, the enormity of 

a man, a woman, the individual for whom a life of service 

and dedication is acknowledged. 

Herman Watts once preached a sermon where he began: 

‘‘Every person comes into this world seeking his name. This 

is the centrality of life—not the name upon a birth certificate 

nor the name by which one’s parents called you. What is the 

name by which God knows you? What is your alignment 

with the universe? What is your purpose for living? How do 

you justify the air that you breathe, the food that you eat, 

the space that you occupy? 

Watts says that a person cannot live at his best and highest unless he has some primary name. 

I’ve been reading the obituaries of my friend, my close and 

dear friend, HENRY HYDE. Some have read ‘‘reverend clergy 

abortion foe,’’ others have read ‘‘Clinton impeacher,’’ still others ‘‘conservative.’’ 

The family should gain great comfort in knowing that 

HENRY did not go by those names. He went by the name devoted husband, father, friend, who loved and believed in 

America and America’s processes. Here is a Henryism, to my 

colleagues, you and maybe the Nation should gain great comfort in knowing that your obituary has also already been 

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written. Many Americans would rather our stories be told 

sooner rather than later. Only we know not the time, the 

place or the hour of the finality, but the fact that the last 

gavel is near. The question is what is your name, how shall 

we call you, what was your alignment with what was right? 

When I was a student at Chicago Theological Seminary I 

spent a lot of time at the cemetery, and at the cemetery you 

see on most tombstones a beginning date and an end date. 

And between those two dates, reverend clergy, there is a 

dash, and for millions of Americans and for people who rest 

at peace at cemeteries, we don’t know their contribution, we 

don’t know the gap that they filled. We do not know the role 

that they played. 

For me, as someone who idolized HENRY HYDE, as a young 

man who entered the Congress of the United States not 

knowing his way, someone who HENRY HYDE took under his 

wing, someone who is very grateful that the family would 

allow me to come today and just offer these words of comfort. 

I never saw HENRY as an abortion foe, it didn’t matter to me. 

HENRY was a good man. He was a great man who believed 

in the American process and that process of civil discourse 

which might lend itself to civil disagreement. When his personal sense of morality came into conflict with that process 

he asked the Divine to call him by his name, and he responded. HENRY HYDE was not an impeacher, he was a public servant and a good man and a great friend, who loved his 

country, who believed in the American process of civil discourse which might lend itself to civil disagreement. With his 

understanding of the Constitution and his responsibilities to 

it, he came into contact with certain facts. He did what each 

of us would do, honor the people, keep the oath, keep the 

faith. That was his calling, that was his name. 

Most of that which I have learned about the nonpersonal 

nature of politics comes from the man who lays in state in 

this church. Mrs. Hyde, gain great comfort in knowing, he 

wasn’t just our colleague, he was our friend. His friendship, 

his warmth, his laughter, his stories, even the smell of his 

cigar will be missed. 

My father often says that we live our lives as though life 

is certain and death is uncertain when in reality death is 

certain and life is uncertain. HENRY knew that one day he 

would not answer the roll call, that the moment of silence 

and that the gavel was coming. 

We should all gain great comfort in knowing that HENRY

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bration for the life of HENRY HYDE that the Lord, God almighty, is looking up and looking down on HENRY at the 

gate. He turns to HENRY and he says, ‘‘For what purpose 

does this distinguished gentleman from Illinois thy good and 

faithful servant rise?’’ HENRY responds, ‘‘Master, to seek recognition and to yield back the balance of my time.’’ 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Mr. Bob Hyde. 

Bob Hyde. Thank you. Thank you all for the many 

kindnesses and comforts you have provided my family during 

these last trying several months. Your prayers and support 

have greatly ameliorated our pain and lightened our burden 

in incalculable ways. We remain deeply in your debt so we 

thank you and ask our good Lord to bless you and your families. 

Now I feel the need to set the record straight. I am not 

HENRY’s younger brother, I am his son. That has happened 

to me several, previous times; just evidence of the years 

being unkind. In July my father had heart surgery. During 

the times I visited Dad in the hospital room and saw him 

trumbled off to dialysis, radiology, and other departments 

within the medical center, I was often reminded of the Scripture verse, John 21:18, ‘‘Truly I say to you for when you are 

young you girded yourself and walked where you would; 

when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to 

go.’’ 

During these last few treasured moments he would often 

fall into deep sleep mid-sentence. He wouldn’t talk much 

about himself but mostly expressed his concerns for his family, especially for his wife Judy of whom he had the deepest 

love and affection, his daughter Laura, and his son Tony. 

Dad had a very large family which wasn’t limited by blood 

or by marriage ties. He had a grand family, because he included members of his staff, friends, colleagues, supporters 

and opponents alike as well as the weak and defenseless as 

members of his family. 

In 1992, I had the honor of authoring a eulogy for my 

mother. Within that document I prayed that it would be 

many more years further before the next occasion would 

present itself. Earlier this November, when I last saw my father, I knew the day was not too far away for this sad duty 

to return; unfortunately the materials I had been working on 

had been mistakenly placed in storage. You see, my wife and 

I had recently sold our residence in Texas and our new home 

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was still under construction. I wanted to review a copy of my 

mother’s eulogy, hopefully to employ some rhetorical symmetry. That’s something Dad would have liked. 

My brother Tony thought he had a copy. It was in a storage box in his home. Prior to Dad’s retirement he had significantly contributed to my brother’s memory trove, where 

there were approximately 18 or so large boxes to peruse. 

Now for those who may have visited Dad’s office, you would 

note an oversized office desk, with a mound of materials 

stacked on his desk—books, articles, magazines, letters piled 

high appearing like the Andes Mountains. Strangely, like an 

experienced air traffic controller Dad pretty much knew 

where everything was. Locating a document, papers just 

didn’t consume much time for him. As anecdotal evidence 

that the next plane of existence is nearer to ours than anyone would think, the very first box, the very first envelope, 

produced two copies of my mother’s eulogy. 

No one needs to remind me I am in a church attending 

Dad’s funeral mass, this is the truth. 

It’s extremely difficult for me to speak of Dad using the 

past tense. My aforementioned experience leads me to believe that using the past tense might be grammatically correct but spiritually inappropriate. This comforting ache still 

remains grounded in a sense of loss partly due to my inability to correctly articulate the various contradictory feelings 

that currently exist within myself. My family’s aches exist 

because we are still bound to the earth and that’s a strange 

comfort to know that something would be very wrong if we 

did not feel this way. Our Catholic faith informs us that we 

should be joyful. Dad is now free from the many pains of life 

and he is now enjoying everlasting life. We are left with 

thousands of memories, things Dad taught us. He taught us 

that service benefiting the less fortunate was a very high 

calling. Such service is direly needed in a world that too 

often seems to reward individuals who choose adverse over 

charity, malice over justice, and pride over modesty, and vapidity over thought. Dad taught us that one’s actions partaken during one’s life would echo in eternity, would be 

echoed in music or merely noise, a hallow gong signifying 

nothing. 

I believe that the music of HENRY’s life tolls, producing an 

aria supported by the millions of voices of the unborn souls 

who greeted him along with many others who have predeceased him, supporters, and one-time opponents alike. 

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Dad was a very talented orator. One of the very best from 

the last two centuries. He told me one reason why he 

thought he was effective was that he knew that it only takes 

a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love 

and it can take many, many years to heal them. Dad taught 

us that one spiritual comfort was far more important than 

the momentary material contentments of this world. He observed that many people mistakenly lose their health to 

make money and then lose their money to restore their 

health. Those who seem too often to be thinking anxiously 

about the future, they appear to forget the present, such as 

they never live in the present nor in the future. Those are 

the things that would sadden him. Dad taught us how to 

laugh, especially at ourselves. That it is especially imprudent 

to take oneself too seriously. It was a very rare occasion 

when I talked to him that he didn’t share a really humorous 

story or two with me. If the gift of joy is an indication of 

God’s close presence, then Dad was never too far from our 

Good Lord’s eternal kingdom. Dad exhibited a true joy in living and applied his very best efforts in using his gifts, talents and potential that our good Lord endowed him with. 

Dad also taught us how to die, he told me that it was a 

tragedy when individuals tried to live as though they would 

never die and died as though they had never lived. Dad died 

in the same manner in which he lived; with dignity and with 

readiness in peace, and thanks to our church, in a state of 

grace. 

Dad accepted the challenge to run the great race and to 

stay the course, to keep the faith. It’s quite fitting that he 

will be buried today, Pearl Harbor Day. For many decades 

ago it was this event which dramatically changed the trajectory of his life’s journey, his race. 

Dad had initially planned to attend Santa Clara University. He was on a basketball scholarship. All such competitive events on the west coast had been indefinitely canceled 

due to war. Instead, Dad traveled to Washington to attend 

Georgetown University. The following year he became a 90- 

day wonder serving in the U.S. Navy and participating in 

the retaking of the Philippines. 

After the war he returned to Washington to complete his 

undergraduate studies. During his senior year the coach was 

into developing younger players, so toward the end of the 

season my father hadn’t experienced much playing time. 

Late during the second half of the final game of the season 

the coach wanted to insert my father into the final minutes 

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of the game. Dad had to unfortunately decline his coach’s 

offer. You see, another player on the team, a starter, had 

somehow misplaced his shorts, and there wasn’t another pair 

available, so Dad gave the player his shorts and was contented to attend the game in his warmups. Neither had said 

anything to the coach, so whenever I hear someone say ‘‘so 

and so would give the shirt off his back,’’ I would simply 

smile to myself and think about my father, a charter member of the greatest generation. 

Salvation was the theme that the prophets and theologians 

pondered and explored. Through Christ’s sacrifice salvation 

is made available to us all. We are called out of darkness 

into our Lord’s marvelous good light, his redemptive presence today and throughout all tomorrow heals us. Our spiritual inheritance for which we are born, our legacy that cannot be destroyed, much less tarnished, if we keep Christ’s 

commandment to love another as he loves us. Therefore we 

should not be bewildered with our own personal burdens as 

if they are something extraordinary. These ordeals give us 

our share of Christ’s sufferings and are a cause of joy. Mankind has often speculated and debated on the existence of 

when the moment arrives where death unfetters you from 

this world of care and sorrow. 

One author, C.S. Lewis, likens the event to a final stripping of a well-worn and cherished garment. This great author thought the now unrestrained spirit would be enjoying 

a complete cleansing, pure and instantaneous liberation. At 

the hour of death, one moment you are of this Earth and the 

next the sting of death is over like a bad dream, like an extracted tooth never to be of any account again. Suddenly all 

is well, all doubts within a twinkling of an eye become trivial. Dad’s spirit may be saying to itself the pain is over, my 

confusion has cleared, how could I ever have even doubted 

it. Now his spirit stands upright and he can converse with 

those heavenly spirits about him—the awe in it all is simply 

another cause for joy. These spirits seem extraordinary to 

mortal eyes and yet they are not now unfamiliar. Until that 

hour most humans don’t have any conception of how the 

spirits would look and many individuals may have doubted 

their existence. 

But when Dad saw these beings he understood that he had 

always known them and realized what part each of them 

played within his life, even when he supposed himself to be 

alone. So he could say to them, one by one, not ‘‘Who are 

you?,’’ but rather, ‘‘So it was you all the time.’’ Not only did 

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Dad see God’s holy angels and saints, he also saw Him. 

Christ’s clear light was clarity in itself, that raised the form 

of a man. This meeting will wake all the memories of the 

dim consciousness, that once reflect the solitudes from infancy until now. All such questions and feelings will at last 

be fully explained. 

The central music in every pure experience which had always just evaded memory is now at last recovered. Dad is 

caught up into an existence where pain and pleasure take on 

a transfinite value and all earthly arithmetic is completely 

dismayed. 

There’s much more I would like to say to you all but I 

know Dad would want me to be brief, and I’ll remain his obedient son. 

Again, on behalf of Judy and our entire family, thank you 

for your thoughts, generosities, and prayers. May God provide you his blessings of peace and good health. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Your Eminence if you please. 

Thank you. 

Francis Cardinal George. Permit me the privilege of extending a word of condolence on the part of the bishops of 

the United States, to Judy and to Congressman Hyde’s children and grandchildren and step-children. A word of sympathy also must be spoken to his colleagues in the House of 

Representatives who have lost a friend, a mentor. 

Many who haven’t known him personally, such as myself, 

but knew him from what he did and what he said and what 

his record shows, recognized always, as the world recognizes, 

that HENRY HYDE is a man of great principle. But, it’s more 

than that, because principles, if they’re not true, can be 

harmful. And even good principles can sometimes hide selfrighteousness or hypocrisy. 

Beneath the principles, I believe, there was a man of instincts; instincts that were honed through a life of sacrifice 

for his country, for his family, for his friends. A life shaped 

by following Jesus Christ in his body the church. Those instincts were sure. He had good instincts about immigrants, 

he had good instincts about workers, he had good instincts 

about children and particularly about children who have not 

been born, but are alive in their mothers’ wombs. I think he 

had the instinct of a dedicated legislator when he looked at 

a constitutional order that now permits private killings and 

said something is wrong. And it was those instincts that 

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guided everything else, and could do so to the end because 

they were themselves rooted in love. 

Most especially at his funeral mass we recognize that they 

were rooted not only in his love of God but far more important for all of us, God’s love for him, God’s love for us. That 

infinite love is stronger than death; into it we now consign 

HENRY HYDE. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. Thank you. I’d also like to 

thank the bishops from Joliet, Bishop Sartain for being here, 

Bishop Kaffer, the ordinary. The bishop from Rockford will 

offer the final commendation. Please stand. 

Bishop Thomas G. Doran. As you can all fairly see or 

shortly will, I’m way out of my league. When I became a 

bishop one of the priests said to me, ‘‘Bishop, if I had a single hour to live, I’d like to spend it listening to you.’’ I 

thought, there’s a priest who ought to be promoted. But then 

he said, ‘‘Because you can make an hour seem like eternity.’’ 

So, I’m not going to put you to that. 

I do want to extend on behalf of the priests and people of 

the diocese of Rockford our sympathy and condolences to 

Judy and to HENRY HYDE’s children and to all of you who 

mourn him. We all have to be mindful, of the wisdom of our 

holy mother church that says funerals are not only for the 

dead, but also for the living. We all have to remember as difficult as it is that we will all be present at at least one more 

funeral. 

Father Thomas Foley. Before we go our separate ways let 

us take leave of our brother. May our farewell express our 

affection for him. May it ease our sadness and strengthen 

our hope. One day we will joyfully greet him again, and the 

love of Christ which conquers all things, destroys even death 

itself. 

[God Most High] 

Bishop Thomas G. Doran. Into your hands Father of mercies, we command our brother HENRY HYDE in the sure and 

certain hope that together with all those who have died in 

Christ he will rise with Him on the last day. We give you 

thanks for the blessings which you bestowed upon him in 

this life. They are signs to us of your goodness and of our 

fellowship with the saints in Christ. Merciful Lord turn toward us and listen to our prayers. Open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one 

another with assurances of faith until we all meet in Christ 

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and are with you and with our brother, for ever. We ask this 

through Christ our Lord. 

People. Amen. 

Bishop Thomas G. Doran. In peace let us take our brother 

to his place of rest. 

Father Daniel P. Coughlin. I ask everyone to remain in 

their places while Congress leaves. 

We are grateful to Father Rosinski and the parish staff 

here at St. John Neumann, for their hospitality and for their 

services. May God bless their ministry. 

[Jesus Remember Me] 

Æ