Congressional Record—House H1566
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H1566 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 13, 2019 This is a sign for Audrina and for We are here and will be able to honor Dingell sat in for all those years, and I every kid facing abortion. him this evening and also honor him spoke to the guy who I saw the night Congress, American people, speak tomorrow at the funeral that will take before in a moment of American his- now for the kids. Support the bill, the place here in Washington. tory. He was still here fighting for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protec- So our thoughts go to the Dingell very same things that he had fought tion Act. Don’t kill babies. family, especially to our colleague, for, for so long. I took that as a per- Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I John’s wife, Congressman Dingell’s sonal privilege, to have been able to would like to thank my colleagues for wife, whom he often referred to as ‘‘the serve with him. joining me this evening to stand up for lovely Deborah.’’ She is a friend and a As I said, this is a tremendous loss the most vulnerable among us. colleague. I have known her myself, as for our country. It is a tremendous loss We stand together to defend the sanc- well, for as long as I can possibly re- for me personally. Our hearts go out to tity of life, to speak out against a rad- member. DEBBIE. ical anti-life agenda that would effec- I will have more to say about Con- Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman tively legalize infanticide. gressman Dingell, but I think there are from Michigan (Mr. WALBERG). I have long fought to defend the un- just a few aspects of his career that I Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I thank born, but I am shocked that I now have just want to make sure I noted for the the gentleman from Flint for yielding. to defend the right to life of newborn ecord. I appreciate the opportunity that we infants. These precious children are in The longest-serving Member of this have to stand on the floor tonight as a peril, their rights are under attack, House, he is known not just for the lon- bipartisan delegation, Republicans and their lives are under attack, and this gevity and the quantity of his time Democrats who are joined together by House has the responsibility to act. here, but for the incredible impact that a love of a great State, the greatest Tonight the American people heard he had on our country, on our Nation, State, Michigan, and the history that our call to action. It is time to vote on and on the policies that he believed in is there that includes a gentleman, a the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Pro- and stood for. leader, like John Dingell. This is a vision that too often is not tection Act. Will the leadership of this He served as the chairman or the seen by constituents back in the dis- House listen or will the Democratic ranking member on the House Energy trict, isn’t it? They often think that if majority continue to allow this march and Commerce Committee from 1981 to you are a Republican or a Democrat, toward legalized infanticide? 2008, shaping very important legisla- you are automatically an antagonist If we don’t send a strong message tion on clean air, clean water, pro- for the other side. That is just not true, that every baby has been endowed by tecting endangered animals, advo- especially as we work together as a del- its creator with inalienable rights, that cating for national healthcare. In fact, egation. we are not defending the fundamental in every Congress that he served in, he I learned one thing of many things, principles of the Constitution, if we continued the legacy of his father, who but one thing I will share tonight from don’t protect these children from preceded him in Congress, by intro- John D. Dingell, Jr. I will let that rest harm, we are abandoning the basic ducing legislation that would guar- a little bit and let it build to what in truth of our humanity. antee healthcare for every American. the world I am going to say that I Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my col- b 1815 learned specifically from John Dingell leagues for standing with me here to- Some of the legislative highlights: that was unique, special, and impor- night. I urge the support of House bill tant to me and that I hope I never for- H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Sur- National Wilderness Act, 1964; Water Quality Act, 1965; National Environ- get. vivors Protection Act, and to stand It was in 1983 that I first met John mental Policy Act, 1970; Endangered against infanticide. Dingell. I was a freshman in the State Species Act, 1973; Natural Gas Policy Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance House of Representatives. I was in of my time. Act, 1978; Prescription Drug Marketing Adrian, Michigan, the county seat of f Act, 1988; Clean Air Act Amendments, the house district I represented. We 1990; Energy Independence and Secu- were there for a ribbon cutting. I heard HONORING THE LIFE OF rity Act, 2007; National Instant Crimi- REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DINGELL a commotion going on through the nal Background Check System Im- room, and the commotion was simply The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under provements, 2008; Patient Protection this: Big John Dingell is about here. He the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- and Affordable Care Act, 2010; FDA is about to arrive. uary 3, 2019, the gentleman from Michi- Food Safety Modernization Act, 2011. Well, I had never met big John Din- gan (Mr. KILDEE) is recognized for 60 Any one of these would constitute gell or John Dingell at all. Mr. Speak- minutes as the designee of the major- the highlight of a legislative career, er, like Mr. KILDEE, I knew it was a ity leader. and every one of them are attributable historic moment. Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to the work of Congressman John Din- Sure enough, soon he came in. He today and will be joined by a number of gell. swept into the room, and I met a man my colleagues from the State of Michi- Before I yield to my colleagues, I who, yes, indeed, was 6-foot-4. Strong gan to pay tribute to a person that I want to mention one other piece of leg- of appearance and presence, he com- have known of and got to know as an islation that he is known for. In my manded a presence in the room. Yet he adult, but I have known Congressman first term—the only term that I shared shook every single hand in the room, John Dingell virtually all of my life. with Congressman Dingell—we cele- including this freshman member of the Having grown up in Michigan and brated, as a nation, the 50th anniver- State legislature who he had never grown up in a family involved in poli- sary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Late met, maybe even never heard my name. tics in Michigan, I was aware of John that evening, commemorating that There was a warmth about that. I Dingell from my earliest days. day, I happened to turn on C–SPAN and learned something from that. He served in this House with incred- was watching old videotape of the sign- Over the years, seeing him in oper- ible dignity and great distinction, ing ceremony where President Lyndon ation, and then, ultimately, coming longer than anyone else in the history Johnson stood with the civil rights and here in 2007 for my first term, and hav- of this country, of this government. In legislative leaders of our Nation. I saw ing a chance to go up and sit where he fact, nearly one out of four Members of this tall figure walk into the frame, always sat, right over there, to sit and the House of Representatives in its en- shake President Johnson’s hand, and talk with him, initially, very timid, tire history served with Congressman receive the President’s congratulations asking legislative questions, but then John Dingell. for his work on that historic piece of we got down to important things like: Yesterday, several of us made an at- legislation. What is your favorite shotgun? What tempt to fly, we left Andrews Air Force I went to bed, and the very next day, are your favorite hunting sports? Who, Base in a storm and attempted to fly to I got up and walked over here for a ses- indeed, fitted your shotgun to you? Michigan and were, unfortunately, un- sion. I sat in that chair right there, As we began to talk about things able to land due to the weather. next to the one that Congressman John later on, it became apparent that, with VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:53 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K13FE7.083 H13FEPT1 February 13, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1567 redistricting, I was going to lose Cal- stituents chose that. They made it pos- gell was raising his voice and leading houn County in the district, and I was sible for him to serve those years. They conversations in standing up for that going to pick up Monroe County, which chose not to term limit him but to say auto industry.