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“TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JOSEPH M. McDADE, MEMBER OF CONGRESS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9245-H9252 on Oct. 1, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JOSEPH M. McDADE, MEMBER OF CONGRESS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 7, 1997, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) is recognized for 60 minutes.
General Leave
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the special order to follow.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joe McDade, one of our colleagues, indeed, one of the most illustrious colleagues many of us have had the privilege to serve with in this Congress.
As we know, Joe is retiring after 18 terms in the Congress, 36 years of service to our country. Indeed, Joe McDade is an extraordinary person, an extraordinary Pennsylvanian, an extraordinary American. He is one of the most highly respected Members of this Congress, and for good reason. Joe McDade, if he has been anything here, he has been a builder. He has been a positive force, not only for his district and for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but for the United States of America.
Joe McDade has made an imprint which will last for generations. Indeed, as a senior member of the Committee on Appropriations, Joe McDade was deeply involved in providing for the strong national defense which was so crucial in leading to our winning the Cold War. As a member of that Committee on Appropriations, as well as his service on other committees, Joe McDade was deeply involved in the economic development, not only of his district, but of Pennsylvania and the Nation.
Mr. Speaker, we honor Joe McDade here today because he is so deserving of the honor, and, not only the honor, but the respect and the gratitude of not only the Members of this body, but of the entire country, and certainly of Pennsylvania and his beloved Congressional District.
Joe McDade has been through some grossly unfair times, but he has emerged unscathed; not only unscathed, he has not only survived, he has prevailed, and he has prevailed with the blessing and the respect and the support of everyone who knows him. His honor, his integrity, his character shines as an example to all of us.
So we salute this giant, and we salute his wife, Sarah, and his family, and we say Godspeed, because we know Joe will have many, many months and years of opportunity to continue not only enjoying the fruits of his labor, but of continuing to make a contribution to his state and to the country.
So I would conclude by saying to our colleague, Joe McDade, that as long as our Pennsylvania mountains turn green in the springtime and as long as our rivers run down to the ocean, your impact will be felt by future generations of Pennsylvanians and of Americans, because you, Joe McDade, have made a positive impact for the future of our country.
I am pleased to yield to the distinguished senior Democrat of our Pennsylvania delegation (Mr. Murtha).
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, Bud Shuster and I came to Congress about the same time, and Joe McDade at that time was a legend. He came 10 years before we came to Congress, and he has dedicated himself not only to the people of Pennsylvania, but to the people of this Nation.
Joe and I feel that our finest hour since we have been in Congress was when we were the chairman and ranking member of the appropriations subcommittee on defense during the war. Everything that happened during the war, we worked on, we had something to do with it. Before that, we made sure the appropriations were available to have the readiness that was necessary for that war to be carried out to the tremendous conclusion it was carried out to. Both of us supported George Bush, President Bush, in everything that he did, and I think we played a major role in getting the authorization to go to war and the appropriations necessary for that to be carried out adequately.
But, just as important as that is the impact Joe McDade has had in this Congress with withstanding the prosecution by the Justice Department, the unfair prosecution.
They came to his home and for six years they harassed him. They tried to get him to give in.
They had a frivolous case. They leaked information. I sat beside Joe McDade, as the rest of us did in Pennsylvania. We knew that any charges they brought against him would be frivolous and that it would be inadequate, and we knew Joe, how honest he was. In all the years that he served on the defense subcommittee, which had as much as $300 billion in it, never once did he try to get something done for financial reasons. Everything he did was what was good for the country.
So when they finally indicted him, the charges absolutely would have been devastating to the House of Representatives. If he had been convicted, it would have meant that every campaign contribution was considered a bribe. If he had been convicted, it meant that every honorarium would have been considered an illegal gratuity. The impact it would have had on the Congress would have been chilling.
The Justice Department was trying to intimidate the House of Representatives, and Joe McDade withstood this tremendous pressure. It affected his health, it affected him emotionally, and it affected him physically. I watched him endure this. He and Sarah put up with this tremendous challenge, and they overcame it.
When it went to the jury, the jury decided in a couple of hours that the whole case was frivolous, that what they were doing was outrageous, and the procedures were outrageous. I am proud to say that the House of Representatives passed overwhelmingly a bill to force the Justice Department to follow the ethics of the states that they are practicing in, and certainly that is not too much to ask.
But think what he has done in protecting the House of Representatives. The ordinary citizen cannot raise $1 million to protect themselves. The ordinary citizen has to give in. Why in some cases does the Justice Department brag about a 98 percent conviction rate? Because people have to give in. They have to compromise. They go after the sons or daughters of the families with unjust situations.
Joe McDade is one of the finest people to ever have served in this great institution. We are at the pinnacle of power. This country right now is the most influential it has ever been, economically and militarily, and we can be proud to say, myself and those who have served with Joe McDade, what an outstanding American he is and what a tremendous service he has done to this country and to this great House of Representatives.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).
Mr. ROGERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise also to pay tribute to our friend, a true patriot, a true statesman, a man we are all proud to call our friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Joe McDade. In his service for his district for 18 terms, a remarkable span of over 35 years, he has provided a source of inspiration for many of us, including this Member, in the initiatives and policies he has pursued and the way in which he has done so. Whether it was his focus to create new and better opportunities to the small businesses in his area, or his efforts to protect and restore the environment, or his pursuit to secure funds for hospitals, highways and schools, Joe McDade has led by example.
Of particular interest to this member and the constituents I represent has been Joe's dogged determination to fund environmental infrastructure, providing millions of dollars for water and sewer improvements, flood control, abandoned mine stabilization and the like. Many of us take for granted these commonalities of clean water and modern wastewater treatment facilities, but I can tell you firsthand what a difference these initiatives make in people's lives. An effort such as these can literally turn the tide against unemployment, with good paying jobs, local citizens working better, and creating the environment that people are proud to call home.
We could go on and on about Joe's accomplishments, but I believe his record speaks for itself. For me it has been within the inner workings of the Committee on Appropriations where Joe has served since 1965 that we have come to know him best. But whatever his subcommittee assignment, Joe provided leadership when we needed it in a bipartisan fashion. When compromise was needed, Joe was there to broker the deal. Likewise, when a firm hand was needed, Joe was there to throw down the gauntlet. Needless to say, Joe got things done.
His latest accomplishment and example of his natural leadership came in the fiscal year 1999 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, just finished, where he serves as the Subcommittee Chairman. I can say that given the circumstances he had to endure this year, the 1999 bill was the finest we have seen brought to the floor. He certainly saved his best for last.
In closing, I will simply say it has been an honor, a pleasure, to serve with the gentleman from Pennsylvania. He has given us leadership, he has given us courage, and an overwhelming devotion to the American people for nearly four decades, and this institution will not be the same without Joe McDade.
Whatever his endeavors in the future, we know that it will always display the same compassion, understanding and devotion, as he always has here in this body.
We wish Joe McDade and his family all the best, and we will truly miss him here.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished Congressman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Kanjorski.
Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a Member of Congress that shares a common border with the 10th district in northeastern Pennsylvania. The name ``Joe McDade'' is famous. As a matter of fact, he came to this Congress as the immediate successor to the Honorable William Scranton, who later went on to become an outstanding Governor of Pennsylvania and the United States representative to the United Nations. Joe McDade followed in his tradition, and for 36 years has been as an individual more responsible for the economic recovery of his district and northeastern Pennsylvania than any other Member.
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He also, in the course of his service to his constituents, raised bipartisanship to a new level. An immediate predecessor of mine was the honorable Daniel Flood, and Joe came as a junior member to Congressman Flood, but together worked for the benefits of northeastern Pennsylvania, to such an extent that in 1972 when Flood Agnes struck northeastern Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley, it was not one Congressman that represented the 11th district, Dan Flood, that worked alone; it was two Congressmen. The people of my district will always be in debt to the honorable Joe McDade.
Mr. Speaker, I may say for my colleagues, those of them who have not had the honor and privilege of visiting Joe's district of northeastern Pennsylvania, take an opportunity and also take a lesson. Anywhere you travel in the 10th congressional district of Pennsylvania and you mention the name Joe McDade, whether it be Republican, Democrat or Independent, there is only high respect to the individual as a person and for his public service. They have memorialized that throughout that district with McDade Park, the McDade Highway, and on and on. Mr. Speaker, he will live for centuries to come because of his good efforts.
Mr. Speaker, we are working together, I hope, to see that a further tribute be paid to our great friend and our great Congressman and an outstanding Member of this House, and my good friend, Joe McDade.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. As he well knows, we are indeed working on a further tribute for the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade).
I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my colleague yielding and taking a moment to speak about our dear friend, Joe McDade. I would like to mention 3 elements of my own relationship. I would like to mention a bit about Joe McDade as a leader, a bit about him as a professional, and a bit about him as a friend.
Mr. Speaker, I must say that there are many in Washington over the years who inspire. Few in my lifetime in public affairs have been more inspiring than Joe McDade. He is a leader's leader.
In California in one of our great buildings there is inscribed,
``Bring me men to match my mountains,'' and if there is a man who matches anybody's mountain, it is Congressman Joe McDade. For all of these years, holding nearest to his heart the importance of this institution and making certain that the institution remained as strong or much stronger than before he dreamt of coming to the Congress himself.
As a professional, he has been an inspiration for me in my committee work over the years. I will never forget the Joint Chiefs of Staff when Joe took them on a tour of the world regarding personnel, and he knew more about that subject than anybody in the room. He was an inspiration to those who would but learn by listening to him as a leader.
As I friend, I cannot match Joe as a friend anywhere, one of the great men of the Congress who I am proud to say is my very dear friend.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden).
Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleagues tonight to pay tribute to our good friend, Joe McDade. It has been said, and we all know what honor and distinction Joe McDade has served with for 36 years, and what he has done for this country and for Pennsylvania and for his district. But what I will always remember is how Joe McDade helps all of us help our constituents.
I will just give my colleagues two examples. Joe McDade and Paul Kanjorski and myself have the great honor of representing the anthracite coal fields of northeastern Pennsylvania. There was a time when coal was king. That is no longer true, but we have a lot of hard working miners in our 3 districts, primarily mine and Paul's, not so much Joe's anymore. Joe realized that this was a clean-burning fuel, and it was something that we needed to help maintain and sustain and create jobs and through his efforts on the Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations, we were able to find alternative markets that helped the miners of Schuylkill and Northumberland and Lackawanna Counties. And my constituents in Northumberland County on the Susquehanna River who are constantly in peril of flooding, and in the winter of 1996 found themselves facing difficult situations and a serious flood situation. Through the help of our good friend, my good friend, Joe McDade, we were able to secure funds for flood control that helped the City of Sunbury and the Borough of Northumberland, as well as the Borough of Milton.
So Joe, on behalf of the constituents of the 6th congressional district, thanks for all you do for all of us.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas).
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is true in the early 1960s, a handsome guy from Scranton was elected to the House of Representatives. He came from a great family, a great background, beloved of the area and the community, well-known in all of Pennsylvania. Of course I am speaking of Bill Scranton. And then, when Bill finished his distinguished service here in the House of Representatives, we drafted him to become governor of Pennsylvania. Lo and behold, the mold that he had set, Bill Scranton had, was filled immediately by Joe McDade who, with his gentleness, his ability to work with people, has accomplished all of the matters to which reference has been made here this evening with which I concur.
But I think the real sign of the Joe McDade that we all know and respect came one day when, as I learned later, in a golf tournament involving Members of the House, the contest for longest ball was in progress, and at the end of the day it was announced that Joe McDade, little Joe McDade had the longest drive, some 325 yards. This went unheralded, because Joe McDade never bragged about his feats on the golf course. He was always quiet and worked with people and never bragged about anything.
Well, that, to me, is how he operated in the Congress of the United States. He always hit the long ball, but always with dignity, always with respect for the other, always without heralding his efforts, always without seeking to take credit for it.
But here tonight, as we bestow our tribute to him, as did the golfers on that day when they acknowledged that he was the long ball hitter, we here tonight say, he hit the long ball for Pennsylvania throughout all of his tenure in the House of Representatives.
Mr. SHUSTER. I thank the gentleman. I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Mascara).
Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and allowing me to honor Congressman McDade.
Mr. Speaker, as this Congress comes to a close, we will be saying our fond farewells to one of this institution's finest legislators, Joseph McDade. As the longest serving Member of his party and the most senior Member of the Pennsylvania delegation, Joe McDade has made a lasting contribution to this institution.
From his ranking position as vice chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Joe McDade pressed for a stronger defense to match the Soviet military buildup of the 1980s. He has also worked hard helping constituents devastated by the closing of coal mine operations to find new careers through job training and increased local investment. The University of Scranton, in his hometown, has honored his commitment to the community by dedicating the Joseph M. McDade Center of Technology after its proud son.
Joe McDade has always devoted much of his time to the Washington D.C. community, serving as a trustee of the Kennedy Center, the National Cultural Center, and also as a member of the board of trustees of the Ford's Theatre. The Pennsylvania delegation will greatly miss the friendship and leadership that Joseph McDade provided throughout his lifetime of service in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I can say as a Member of the 104th Congress, one of 13, Joe, you have made me feel welcome, and when I had a project that needed some help, you did not care whether I was a Democrat or not, and I will never forget that. Joe, I wish you Godspeed, and God bless you.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Rules (Mr. Solomon).
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairman, the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania, because I would like to take a few minutes. I do not have any prepared remarks either, but when I came here 20 years ago, looking around this Chamber and wondering who you can trust, who you can take their word for, and when I looked at Joe McDade and talked to you and others, because I served on your committee when I first came here 20 years ago, and you said Joe McDade is a man of integrity, he is a man you can trust, he is a man that will always tell it like it is. It did not take long for that to prove true, because in all of the years that I have had the privilege of working with that gentleman over there, he is one of the most respected Members of this body, and I greatly admire and respect him. I know every other man does too, and woman, of this body.
Joe, we just wish you Godspeed. I think that you are not the type of person that just goes and retires in a rocking chair. You will seek a new career and you will be a great success, because you are a great man and a great American, and we salute you, sir.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Doyle).
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my sincere admiration and great fondness for Representative Joe McDade. It is clear from the number of Members who have gathered here this evening to pay tribute to Joe that he will not just be missed by one party or the delegation of one State, but by a vast and diverse group of people.
As a Member who personally strives to put progress above partisanship, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and, more importantly, to learn from, Joe McDade as well as Jack Murtha, both of whom have an outstanding reputation in this regard.
The list of accomplishments that have been amassed since Joe was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1962 is both long and impressive. Equally impressive is the list of accomplishments that Joe has helped other Members to achieve. Joe, I cannot thank you enough for the concern that you have shown for the interests of the 18th congressional district. Locks and dams 2, 3 and 4 on the Monongahela River, DOE initiatives and the Pittsburgh supercomputer, just to name a few.
Without question, Joe, your presence will not be easily replaced. I will miss you both personally and professionally, and I wish you and your family, your wife, Sara and your children, Joseph, Aileen, Deborah, Mark and Jared, all the best. Joe, take care and God bless.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon).
Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished leader from Pennsylvania for yielding, and I rise to pay my personal respects to my leader and my mentor for the past 14 years. I say 14 years, even though I am only in my 6th term, because if it were not for the gentleman that we are honoring tonight, I probably would not be here.
Back in the mid 1980s when my colleagues in Delaware County suggested I consider running for Congress, I said, what does this entail? They said, we want you to go down to Washington and meet with this fellow named Joe McDade. Now, I had heard of Joe's name and his reputation, but I had not had the honor to meet him.
I came to Washington and met with him. He gave me some very wise advice about campaigning and what it would take to win the seat, and while I did not win the seat that year I lost by 400 votes out of 249,000, I did come back the following year and, winning by 60,000, Joe took me under his wings.
It was Joe McDade who got me a seat on the Committee on National Security because Joe was our point person on the committee on committees. And it was over the first few years in that committee that I saw Joe McDade as a leader, not just on behalf of Pennsylvania, and not just on behalf of national security, but a leader on behalf of this country.
Without a doubt, Joe McDade has had on the Republican side as much impact on the security of our Nation and the ability of our troops to respond around the world as any other single Member, certainly in my lifetime. That reputation continues today, and it will be very difficult for anyone in the Republican Party to top. Working together with our colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), Joe McDade and Jack Murtha formed a team that has been unbeatable in this institution.
But, Mr. Speaker, as one looks to a person like Joe McDade, who not only was the key leader for our commonwealth in so many different areas, and not just his role on the Committee on National Security where he was a key leader for Members on both sides of the aisle, but as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) said earlier, a leader for us in the Congress to make sure the integrity of this institution would be forever retained.
I think the greatest legacy of Joe McDade is something we all strive for when we come here, and that is when we leave, what will people say about us? Now, we are all considered politicians, because that is our business. But I think we all seek to attain the moniker of statesman, and Joe, without a doubt, has achieved that title.
He is truly a statesman, because in the 12 years I have been in Congress I have never heard Joe McDade utter one bad word about any other Member of this Congress, Republican or Democrat, irregardless of what that Member might have done.
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But likewise, in my 12 years in Congress, I have never heard any Member of this institution, in either party, utter any disparaging comments about the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). In fact, every time Joe McDade's name is discussed, it is always in the context of a gentleman, a leader, a friend, a true statesman; someone who has set the tone, and a role model for every future official who will serve in this great institution.
I thank my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Joe McDade), for being such a friend and role model for all of us.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan).
Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in tribute to a great legislator and friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade), of Pennsylvania's 10th District.
As other speakers have noted, the service of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) has impacted his country and his district in a very powerful way. His is a distinguished career, and it has earned the admiration of Members on both sides of the aisle.
It is difficult in a few moments to give due credit to a Member's service in this House, and it becomes particularly impossible when that service spans almost four decades, and is so full of accomplishments.
But I would like to note in particular our appreciation for the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade's) work on critical defense issues, for his leadership in addressing national energy problems, for his stewardship of historical, cultural, and environmental resources, for his success in stimulating small business development, for his efforts to improve housing in rural areas, emphasizing the needs of the elderly, the handicapped, and low-income families, and for his focus on parks and recreation.
The record of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) is one of solid achievement, and it is a compliment to his constituents that they have faithfully recognized the value of his service.
For those of us who had the pleasure of working with him, it is no mystery why he is so effective. It is because of his strong work ethic, his sharp intellect, and his gentlemanly manner. That last trait is what I will remember most about serving with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). I will always admire how he shows kindness, without fail, to everyone around him. He is a model of congressional courtesy, and it is a joy to work with someone who is so good-natured, so polite, so decent in every situation.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) is, in every respect, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, and will be greatly missed by us all. As we salute his service, we offer our warm wishes to him and his family, his lovely wife Sarah and their five children. We thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade), and wish him our best always.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling).
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, when I came to the Congress of the United States, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) was already a king on the Hill. My dad said, you will want to get to know the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). He said, you will want to get to know him for two reasons. First of all, he is a wonderful gentleman, but secondly, you are going to need him. It did not take me long to realize that I truly was going to need him.
Scranton, the Scranton area, is going to lose just an outstanding legislator, but even more than that, we in the Pennsylvania delegation are going to lose one wonderful leader. It did not take me long to realize that if my businesses were going to survive, having so many that deal with defense in my area, I had better get to know the gentlemen from Pennsylvania, Mr. Joe McDade and Mr. John Murtha, very well. I can go next door and get transportation, but I have to go a little further away in order to get all of that kind of help.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) became a real mentor of mine. There is one thing, however, that always surprised me about Joe, which is that he speaks two languages. What always confused me is how could he get down there in the well and know which language to use, but he never slipped up. He always used the correct language.
He is just one wonderful gentleman, and we are going to miss him, but more importantly, the residents of the Scranton area truly are losing an outstanding legislator. I wish him the best, and many, many years of happiness. Come back and tell us what we are doing wrong, get us straightened out. We know the gentleman will, in a kind, gentle way. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) for his service to the country.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McHale).
Mr. McHALE. Mr. Speaker, when I arrived in the Congress some 6 years ago, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) had already served here for three decades.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) is present in the Chamber as we speak this evening. I say to the gentleman, I hope he has some sense of not only the respect that we feel toward him, but the deep affection we feel for him.
Many Members of this House over a period of time will, through their own actions, earn respect. We certainly hope that to be the norm. No Member of this House is more beloved than the gentleman is. When I first arrived here, I talked to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) on numerous occasions about the assistance that he and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. John Murtha) could give to me and to my district before the Committee on Appropriations. I was a junior member of the other party, and despite that fact, every time I needed help, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) was there.
Mr. Speaker, I can speak in the next few minutes about the tremendous contribution the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) has made to the University of Scranton, my father's alma mater. At that school, I say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, as well as here in the halls of Congress, there is a clear recognition of all that the gentleman has done.
I think back on the definition of courage that was brought forward by Ernest Hemingway, one of our great writers. Mr. Hemingway once said that courage is best defined as grace under pressure. During the 6 years that I have served with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade), there have been times when, unjustly, he faced a great deal of pressure. He continued to perform his duties on behalf of the people of the 10th District of Pennsylvania with unfailing consistency and dedication. He has been courageous in the truest sense of that word.
I say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade), we will deeply miss him, not only as colleagues but as friends. We hold for him an unlimited degree of personal affection.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).
Mr. COX of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be up here with my colleagues on such a wonderful occasion to pay tribute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Joe McDade). It has been mentioned that he came here so many years ago during the Kennedy administration. He was a wonderful lawyer in private practice after having graduated from law school at Penn.
He went to the University of Notre Dame, which befits his Irish background. It is hard for me to pay tribute to that part of his background, inasmuch as I am an alum of the University of Southern California, and Notre Dame has, particularly in recent, I should say decades, whupped the Trojans.
What can we say about a man who comes to Congress, serves 10 years as a Republican, and while he is picking up the Republican nomination, wins the Democratic primary as a write-in? What can we say about someone who, at this juncture, still more decades later, can sit here on the floor and listen to Democrats and Republicans come up and praise not only what he has done for all of us, leading by example, being our friend, but what he has done for the country?
One of my colleagues just mentioned that no one in Congress has done more for the national security. For all those years that we had a military buildup, the appropriators, the Committee on Appropriations, was looked to to put money into the Pentagon in order to win the Cold War, but we too little recognize what they have done even more recently.
Since America won the Cold War, due to the determination and leadership of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) and a handful of others like him, we have been able to pare back that spending. Since America won the Cold War, we have saved a cumulative total of $1 trillion on Pentagon spending. We owe that, as well as the victory that preceded the peace dividend, to leaders, chief among whom is the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade).
Mr. Speaker, I have had a chance to go out to dinner with Joe and his family, and in particular, his youngest son, who is just a shade older than my oldest. It is a lot of fun to see the family side of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) and Sarah. I cannot imagine, after having been in politics as long as the gentleman has, that he can be so upbeat and provide so much spirit to the rest of us, having taken the body blows that are often traded in politics, survived them, but excelled, in spite of them, to remain a gentleman, to remain humble, and to always keep his smile. That is the strongest and best example the gentleman can provide to every one of us.
The gentleman has served our country well, he has bettered this institution, he has led by his example, he has left many friends. We love him very much.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek).
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida. I was not aware that this was happening this afternoon, and as God would have it, I passed through here after a markup and I saw the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) sitting over in the corner.
I must say, Mr. Chairman, that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) to me is sort of a renaissance man. He covers all aspects of what we do here in the Congress. He has a very big heart for all people.
I met the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) first when we served on the Subcommittee on Energy and Water. Never have I worked with anyone with such a strong gentleness of purpose. He knew exactly the whole entire field. He did not mind sharing with those of us who knew less. He was fair. He had good judgment. Most of all, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) is a very intelligent man, able to talk on almost all the subjects and more that we know about.
I love the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). I have seen him go through the ups and downs, and he is a man for all seasons. He can face adversity and still do a job. He can face adversity and still smile and talk and shake hands with his colleagues.
I am very, very sure, Mr. Speaker, that when the history of this Congress is written, the name of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) will be very high at the top of those who achieve the kind of good will, the kind of working with others, that he has done. He is a credit to this House. He is a credit to the Congress. The people of this country, I am sure, will always worship the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade).
I want to say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade), God bless me for having crossed your path. I thank the gentleman.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to pay tribute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). I did not know this was taking place. I happened to look at the television in my office. I just wanted to come over and pay my respects.
I was a staff member for a Republican Member of Congress years ago, Congressman Biester, and I always admired the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) then. Then I got a job as congressional relations assistant to Secretary Rogers C.B. Morton. I remember, my first visit here on the Hill was to pay a courtesy call by the office of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) for Mr. Morton, who was then Secretary of the Interior.
Mr. Speaker, I have learned a lot from the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade), and I have admired him. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) lived, in some respects, in my congressional district for a long period, in Arlington. Everything the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) said was exactly true. The gentleman has always had a great disposition, and I just want to second literally everything that has been said, but kind of present my body here as a living testimony of my admiration and respect, and look forward to really a good friendship for many, many years to come. May God bless you, Joe.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Pastor).
Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I too was walking through the hall and heard the accolades that were given to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade). I have to tell the Members, I have to take at least a minute to let the gentleman from Pennsylvania and the Speaker know that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) is a great man.
Back in 1991 when I first came to Congress, I did not know too much about Congress, nor did I know too many Members of Congress, except the ones from Arizona. However, there was a gentleman here who shared a story, who shared a smile, and shared some advice.
I got to know the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joe McDade) a little bit. He went through some very hard times, but I have to tell the Members, he is a man that, under adverse situations, still kept a smile, kept the positive attitude, and was very friendly to everyone in this House.
Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of being under the gentleman's leadership in the Subcommittee on Energy and Water. I have to tell the Members that he was a leader for the entire committee. He treated every Member with respect. He treated every Member in the way that all of us want to be treated.
I never saw him get cross, but I have to tell the Members that there were many department heads from the Department of Energy or Corps of Engineers who would come and testify, and he may not have agreed with them, but he was always, in a very positive manner, letting them know that their policy was not going to work in this Congress.
{time} 1900
I have great admiration for Joe McDade. I wish him well. He served this House well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) for organizing this wonderful tribute to our good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade).
The gentleman from California (Mr. Cox) alluded to his Notre Dame background and his Irish heritage. I too am of Irish heritage. This is a little bit like an Irish wake, a lot more subdued than a lot that I have been at. But the good news is that the honoree is quite alive and lively to hear these nice things, and what a treat it is for all of us.
Congressman McDade got me started off on the Committee on Appropriations. To this day, he still refers to me as ``mayor,'' having appointed me to the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia of the Committee on Appropriations, and I had no idea what a challenge that would be. But he was always there with advice and counsel along the way, as he has been on so many things.
Congressman McDade is a friend, not only of mine, but of my family. My dad, Bill Walsh, who served with Joe back in the 1970s sends his regard and his best wishes. And Joe never hesitates or forgets to ask about dad, and he is doing quite well.
Congressman McDade is a man who never forgot where he came from. He has the same positive outlook about life in spite of all of the difficulties that you go through in public life, quick to smile, quick with advice, thoughtful, serving on the Committee on Appropriations and being in conference meetings when things get hectic and tense.
Joe always spoke with authority and with knowledge of the issues. If there is one thing that separates the wheat from the chaff in a legislative endeavor, it is when someone with authority and knowledge speaks. Everyone else stops, and they listen because chances are they are listening to find a way out of the thicket that they are in.
Joe is always there with that thoughtfulness, with that ability to help us to get through to work out the compromise, to make things work. It is that approach to government that has inspired so many of us to try to capture that same view and to continue that fine tradition that he has laid down for all of us.
So, Joe, thank you for everything. Both personally and as a citizen of the United States, we owe you a great deal.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton).
Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, I wish there were more discussions like this, people from both sides of the aisle talking about positive things and talking about individuals like Congressman McDade.
But I want to admonish Congressman McDade. You do not want to inhale everything that has been said, because so many nice things have been said about you.
I look at Congressman McDade in a couple of ways. First of all, having been in business so many years, the one thing you want in a director or employee or a stockholder or somebody when times are tough is somebody who is going to be with you. And you do not know what it is. You do not know what you are going to ask of them, but you have a sense in their character that they are going to be there.
I know this personally because of a situation that occurred, not only in Mr. McDade's State, but in mine in 1972 when we had Hurricane Agnes, and there was terrible flooding. The response from people like Mr. McDade and his associates was extraordinary. We literally could not have gotten through that if it had not been for the efforts of the people up there who lived and breathed it and understood it and suffered through it.
So I do not think anybody in the area that I represent will ever forget that. It is something to remember. It is something important to all of us.
The other thing is I have always felt that we have a limited period of life, and time is the most precious thing. Many times, it is more important who you do something with than what you do. The fact that we have been able to do something with you, Joe, has made it all worth the ride. I thank you very much for that.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English).
Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply grateful for the chance to participate in this tribute. Joe McDade has been a great friend to all of us. He has been an institution within this institution, and that is for a variety of reasons.
Joe McDade is a great gentleman, as has been noted here. For that reason, he has, almost unique in this institution, a set of warm relationships that cut across party lines.
He brings to the House an institutional memory that I think we all value. He is a master mechanic of the process. He is also someone who has been willing to lend his wise counsel to junior Members like me.
Joe, I can remember a lot of projects you and I have worked on together where your advice has been critical to my getting it done; first and foremost, my getting on Ways and Means as a freshman. I will always be grateful to you for your essential role in that.
You have been a huge champion of all of Pennsylvania. I will tell you, as long as I am in this body, I will aspire to be like Joe McDade. We already have, though, one small thing in common, and that is we both had big shoes to fill as freshmen, because we succeeded popular Members who were elected Governor.
There is a gentleman, Joe's predecessor, and who still is his constituent, who sent me a statement that I would like to read because it encapsulates my sentiments about Joe McDade. He wrote: ``Joe McDade is not only the best Congressman this District has ever had but we think he is the best Congressman any District ever had!''
``He thinks deeply, he works hard and he gets things done in the right way.''
Signed Bill Scranton.
I could not have said it any better myself.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding to me and to join with many of my colleagues in recognizing Congressman Joe McDade.
For those of us who were lucky enough a week or so ago to attend Joe's retirement dinner, the film that was shown at that dinner captured you from your earliest days as a child throughout your entire public career. It made many of us new to this institution have a greater appreciation, not only for the institution, but for the major role you played in representing our Nation and most particularly the State of Pennsylvania for so many years.
I wanted to thank Joe McDade, a wonderful Member of Congress for taking time out as a senior Member of the House to be a friend to a relatively new Member of the House. I would like to thank him for his advice over 4 years as a Member of the House, but also for his advice even before I was sworn in as a Member.
Congressman McDade served as a Member of the House when my father Peter Frelinghuysen was a Member, and I knew of him, made his acquaintance, and he befriended me and has been a wise advisor and counselor.
I would also like to thank Congressman Joe McDade for his perspective, unique perspective on the appropriations process and on the committee and for his leadership on that committee, most particularly for his assistance to my State of New Jersey and other States as chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.
I will particularly remember his admonition never to apologize for being parochial, that in fact if one is not parochial on any committee as a Member of Congress, you will soon be replaced by somebody who is parochial.
I would like to thank Joe as well, Congressman Joe McDade for taking time out of his busy life to visit my district in New Jersey, the 11th Congressional District, most particularly the Picatinny Arsenal. Tobyhanna and Picatinny in some ways are joined at the hip in terms of serving our national defense. But your personal time and visit to the Picatinny Arsenal did a lot to boost the morale of many thousands of men and women who dedicate themselves to the research and development.
Above all, I want to wish Joe and Sarah many happy years ahead and to say what a privilege it has been to serve with you, as my father did for so many years in this body.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson), the newest Member of our Pennsylvania delegation.
Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) for giving me this opportunity.
Congressman Joe McDade, we thank you for the service you have given, not only your district of Pennsylvania, but this country. I am going to give a little different perspective.
I have known Joe 14 years. I have known of him a lot longer than that. But 14 years ago, when I was running for the Pennsylvania Senate, we met in Potter County where he was so capably serving that county, and then we have been friends ever since.
But Joe, I, we have heard here tonight the tremendous admiration in this body for you. But I can tell you from God's country, Potter County, where you used to serve them so capably, they respect you. They are thankful of how you served, and they have a deep affection for you.
In Congress, I serve three counties, one he serves a part of, and the other two he used to serve. And I can tell you there from Tioga County and Clinton County, they also have the greatest respect for you, the affection for you, and they miss you.
His record speaks for itself, reelected overwhelmingly 18 times, many times by almost unanimous vote. A potential candidate, I think this says it best, said to me, who really had a shot of being his replacement, he said ``How can I compete with this record? How can I compete with the shadow that he has cast with the tremendous affection and respect in that district?'' I looked at him, and I said you cannot. I cannot.
He is not the average congressman. He is the exception. He is a gentle giant, and you cannot compete with him. That man did not run. I may have discouraged him, but he could not compete; and he should not run for that reason.
Joe McDade, the Congressman of the 10th District is the exception, not the rule. He has been extremely effective. But on top of that, he has been kind. He has been compassionate. He cares about his district, and he cares about his colleagues. As many have said, he has played a great influence in the defense of this country, one of our most important issues we deal with.
Joe, I only regret that I did not have more time to learn from you as I continue to serve my District. Thank you for being a friend and neighbor.
Mr. DICKS. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to join my colleagues here in the House chamber today to honor and pay tribute to our good friend Joe McDade of Pennsylvania. I certainly share many of the sentiments that have been expressed today from the members of the Pennsylvania delegation, noting the enormous contributions Joe has made to the state and to the 10th District. His legacy there will be monumental. But I would also like to remark that his contributions extend far beyond the boundaries of the State of Pennsylvania. I have worked with him on the Appropriations Committee since I entered Congress in 1977, and have come to appreciate his sincere interest in improving the lives of others, preserving our national heritage, and in maintaining a strong national defense. I have served with Joe on the Defense and Interior Appropriations Subcommittees, and I want to express my gratitude for his insight and his counsel in these two areas. Joe has been a forceful advocate for maintaining military readiness and for providing our armed forces with the most modern and most efficient weaponry. He has worked with members on both sides of the aisle in defining our defense priorities and in overseeing the proper expenditure of the nation's defense budget. And on the Interior Subcommittee I have been proud to work with him on a host of public lands issues over the years. In particular, though, I have appreciated his deep concern and support for the National Park Service. He is a member who has taken the time to learn the problems confronting the parks, which have struggled to maintain quality during a time of dramatic increases in visitor attendance. He has become personally invested in helping the Park Service carry on the legacy for future generations, and my constituents who treasure three great National Parks in Washington, are among the millions of our citizens who have benefitted from his work. In this session of Congress, I have appreciated all of his help on the important water and power issues that affect the western states most especially. As chairman of the Energy & Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee he has always been open to our views and sympathetic to our issues. And finally it is important to note as this session of Congress concludes and as Joe McDade completes his 18th term in office, how much he will be missed because of the style and the manner in which he approached his work here in the House. He was always the gentleman, always one who was willing to find a way to work out problems and to get things done in a way that, to some, may seem old fashioned. His friendly approach has been an endearing quality, and I know I can speak for many here in the House today in saying how much we will miss these qualities here in this chamber.
Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, it is never easy to say ``farewell'' to a colleague, particularly to a friend with whom you have shared well over twenty years of service in the House of Representatives.
Congressman Joe McDade's 34 years of service to the people of the 10th District of Pennsylvania is, in itself, testimony to the high esteem in which Joe is held. Having risen to the level of fourth most senior Member in the House, there are few Members in this Chamber who know more about how this institution works and how it has changed over the years.
Despite the differences in our party affiliations, the close relationship I enjoy with Joe became much stronger during the years we served together on the Small Business Committee. The problems and concerns of the small business community in the Pennsylvania heartland are much the same as those in Niagara Falls and the rest of my western New York District. While we might not always vote the same way on most issues, more often than not, our concerns and interests within the Small Business Committee reflected a fundamentally similar perspective and a shared desire to spur small business growth and development.
My relationship with Joe McDade was not just a professional one. On a personal note, some of the best memories I will share with Joe McDade result from the many conversations we would have as we walked together back and forth from the House to our Congressional offices which, for a time, were across the corridor from each other. The American public tends to define Member to Member relationships solely by the sharp debate the television cameras often transmit from the well of the House. They do not see the many moments when Members of both parties talk quietly and with a warm camaraderie as they ride the underground tram or walk across Independence Avenue time after time each legislative day to answer the call of the House for votes.
It was during these quiet conversations that I got to know Joe McDade, not only as the Congressman from Pennsylvania's 10th District, but as a man and a father who worried about his family's well-being. I learned to appreciate Joe as a legislator, genuinely concerned about the problems of our nation, and as a colleague who wanted only the best for the House of Representatives as an institution. I will never forget our conversations for they conveyed the wisdom and institutional memory of a man who loved his job and the people he so well represented in this House.
Let me take this opportunity to formally convey my best wishes for a most happy, healthy, and productive retirement. Joe, you will be missed. Godspeed, my friend.
Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I am especially pleased to join with my colleagues in honoring our long-time fellow member and comrade-in-arms, Joe McDade.
It was with genuine regret that we heard Joe had decided to call a halt to his long and distinguished career in this legislative body. His leadership in hundreds of floor debates over these thirty-five years has left its mark on a great deal of the legislation that has passed into law. His work in the Appropriations Committee over that time has won him the admiration and gratitude of both Republicans and Democrats, and members on both sides of the aisle have often found themselves endebted to Joe McDade's highly effective legislative skills. A great many of us in this body have found him to be receptive to our needs and hardworking and dedicated in his efforts to see that important bills were successfully legislated.
He has clearly served the constituents of the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania with particular distinction, and in their gratitude for his leadership, they have returned him to the House time and again for a truly remarkable three and a half decades.
In all of his dealings with his colleagues, Joe's genial manner and Irish good humor has won him the warm friendship of members in both parties. May he be rewarded in his retirement with further challenging interests, insights and projects. Perhaps we can look forward to his producing a book or two, giving us his perspective on what has really happened on the Hill during this last turbulent one-third of a century, and offering some advice to all of us in our search for better and more effective legislation.
Joe's departure will clearly leave a void in this Congress, and we hope he will make a point of returning to visit the floor on many occasions so that his mere presence will remind us again that collegiality and hard work continue to be all important in this body.
Joe McDade, I rise with your fellow members in saluting you for your thirty-five years of real accomplishment and dedication in the service of your fellow Americans. You will remain an inspiration for those who will follow in your footsteps from the great state of Pennsylvania! We are more than confident you will find many more congenial friendships and rewarding opportunities throughout the coming salad days of your retirement. You will be missed! God bless!
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleagues from Pennsylvania, Mr. Shuster and Mr. Murtha, for taking this Special Order tonight to honor one of my dearest friends, Joe McDade.
Joe has left his mark on this House in so many ways. As the Senior Republican in the House, he is a respected Statesman who is looked up to by so many of our junior members. His wise counsel and advice have helped maintain the decorum and traditions of this great deliberative body.
As the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee, he has served with great distinction. I can think of no finer tribute to Joe than in this his final year, our nation will enjoy a federal budget surplus for the first time in a generation.
Finally, I want to thank Joe for his selfless service as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security to provide for the needs of our men and women in uniform. His leadership and long hours of work have ensured that he will leave this House secure in the knowledge that our troops in the field, at sea, and in the air are the strongest, most prepared fighting force anywhere in the world.
In addition to his work to provide for the defense of our nation, he has also worked hard to defend our nation's great treasures which are our national parks and our environment. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Joe has reached every corner of our nation to support critical public works needs, and through his long service on the Interior Subcommittee, he has protected our public lands and rebuilt the decaying infrastructure of our National Park Service.
No where is Joe's work more evident then in the many large and small towns of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He has been a diligent public servant for young and old alike. He is revered by the veterans of his community and you cannot go far in the 10th Congressional District without seeing another sign of Joe's handiwork.
Mr. Speaker, Joe McDade has given this House and the people of our great nation 36 years of selfless service. Joe has been a revered colleague, and devoted member of the Appropriations Committee, and a warm personal friend. With his retirement, Joe will leave a great void in this House, but he also leaves those who follow him a lasting legacy of how one American can devote himself to service to this body and to our nation. Joe McDade has been a great American, a great colleague, and the greatest of friends. He will be missed by us all.
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I think the outpouring that we have seen here tonight for Joe McDade shows how much we respect him, we admire him, and we love him. Godspeed to you, Joe McDade and Sarah and your family.
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