III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 402 

Recognizing the life and contributions of Henry John Hyde. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 12, 2007 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. COBURN, Mr. CORNYN, 

Mr. DEMINT, Mr. HATCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. 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. KYL, Mr. SESSIONS, 

and Mr. SMITH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the life and contributions of Henry John Hyde. 

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 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; 


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•SRES 402 IS 

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 


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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 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 


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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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) notes with deep sorrow the death of Henry 

3 John Hyde on November 29, 2007, in Chicago; 

4 (2) extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family 

5 of Henry Hyde; 

6 (3) recognizes the life of service and the out7 standing contributions of Henry Hyde; and 

8 (4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to trans9 mit a copy of this resolution to the family of Henry 

10 Hyde. 

Æ 


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