Congressional Record—House H9262
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H9262 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 7, 2003 perfect movie Hollywood couple that America’s last half century, to have land Athletics and she passed away in her just loved each other and did not mind raised three wonderful sons and two sleep. expressing that love in front of every- outstanding daughters. Tommy, who I Millie O’Neill was an incredible woman who body. met at Boston College; Susan, who was was not often recognized for the selfless work I had the opportunity for 12 consecu- my classmate and a history major with she did for Congress and our country. Mr. tive years to travel with Tip O’Neill as me at Boston College. I have known Speaker, I want to call attention to two things he was invited around the world as them my whole life. that Mrs. O’Neill was instrumental in achiev- Speaker; but I do not know whether it This is a wonderful family, and they ing. The first was a massive fundraising effort was Tip or Millie, but one thing was balanced the demands of that journey on behalf of the Ford’s Theatre Foundation, abundantly clear, that they were not against the love and attention that a raising over $4 million dollars, for which Millie Democratic trips. They were not Re- family requires. And Millie emerged was recognized at a Gala dinner in 1984. publican trips. It was traveling with from it all with her love for Tip as The second item that I believe Mrs. O’Neill Millie and Tip O’Neill, and they made strong and as deep and as transparent deserves to be recognized for was ensuring everyone feel like just one big congres- as the two schoolkids they once were. that the House of Representatives keep nor- sional family, representing this great She leaves a legacy of warmth and mal hours during her husband’s Speakership. body and representing these great companionship that will glow for the According to Tip’s autobiography, he wrote United States. ages. that when he became Speaker, Millie told him You always feel when you have lost Millie was pretty good at taking that she didn’t want him keeping the House in somebody that you just did not spend Tip’s favorite sayings and turning till 8 or 9 at night because she had heard con- enough time saying how much you ap- them around to her advantage. One of cerns from other Member’s wives that they preciated them while they were here, my favorites is retold in Tip’s wonder- didn’t appreciate not knowing when their hus- and I tried to tell Millie how much I ful autobiography, Man of the House. bands would be home. As a result, during the loved her, and Millie had been very Tip loved to remind people in politics majority of Speaker O’Neill’s leadership the kind to me, as had Speaker Tip O’Neill; of the priceless advice of Mrs. O’Brian, House of Representatives was a more family but I suspect that for the rest of us, a neighbor and teacher in North Cam- friendly environment and did not have the all many who never knew this wonderful bridge. She taught him the lesson that night sessions that plague our distinguished couple, that we can take time out as you should never assume someone will body today. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, Mrs. O’Neill we lost Millie to see whether we could vote for you. You have to ask, said passed in her sleep while taking a nap in be more sensitive and appreciative, not Mrs. O’Brian. So Tip writes, ‘‘Poor order to watch her beloved Red Sox play later only to our wives but to our families Millie is sick of hearing me tell the that evening. Although her passing prevented that are either with us here in Wash- Mrs. O’Brian story, and I can’t blame her from watching in person, I am sure that ington or back at home, and that some her. But during my long career in Con- she was delighted to watch the Red Sox tri- way we can go to the Members who gress, we would always go to the polls umph from the best seat in the house, next to were fortunate to serve at a time where together on election day, and before her beloved Tip. we did not dislike each other as a body, leaving the house I would say to her, Honey, I would like to ask for your Mr. Speaker, I urge of my colleagues to join we may have disagreed on war or dis- me in offering the strongest condolences to agreed on policy, disagreed on theories, vote. Tom, she would reply, I will give you every consideration.’’ the entire O’Neill family and request that to- but at the end of the day, we were just day’s Boston Globe article about her passing so proud to be Members of this House. Millie’s selfless devotion to her chil- dren and her grandchildren and her be placed in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. b 2045 support for the March of Dimes and the [From the Boston Globe, Oct. 7, 2003] It was people like Millie who kept arts was unparalleled. All of us in Mas- MILDRED O’NEILL, 89; WIFE, ‘‘PARTNER’’ OF our families together, who kept en- sachusetts and our country feel like we POLITICAL ICON couraging our wives, who really in- have lost a pillar of public service. (By Ron DePasquale) spired a lot of our Members to want to And, oh, how she loved the trips with Mildred A. ‘‘Millie’’ O’Neill, widow and celebrated sweetheart of Thomas P. ‘‘Tip’’ be good Members of Congress and not the Rangels and the Contes and the O’Neill Jr., former speaker of the U.S. House Democratic and Republican Members Moakleys and the Michels on their of Representatives, died in her sleep yester- of Congress. journeys around the world, this incred- day in her Bethesda, Md., home, her family So I would just like to join with so ible congressional delegation, with said. many people who knew and loved each of them becoming a family mem- Her son, former Massachusetts Lieutenant Millie O’Neill. Not nearly as much as ber of the other family in the course of Governor Thomas P. O’Neill III of Boston, Tip did, but we always will remember all of the years that they traveled to- said Mrs. O’Neill had taken a nap, so she him singing to her and her batting eyes could catch last night’s Red Sox playoff gether. game, when she died. She was 89. as though it was a flirtatious first So for us it is a great loss, but it is Her son called her a ‘‘lovely, perfect lady’’ date. We will miss you, Millie, as we I think our country’s great, great, who enjoyed taking care of her family and miss Tip. So many of us are just so for- great honor to have had Tip and her be working for charity. His parents’ love was tunate and so lucky that if we do not the Man and the Woman of this House inspiring, he said. ‘‘They were inseparable at have them, we have their fond memo- for 10 years, providing a family-like at- a very early age and right through to the end ries. mosphere that so many Members long of their lives,’’ he said. On the dedication page of his 1987 auto- f for; that brought a joy to this place, as biography, ‘‘Man of the House,’’ Tip O’Neill almost a second home for Members TRIBUTE TO MILLIE O’NEILL referred to his wife as ‘‘The Speaker of My when they were away rather than a House. A loving wife, mother and my partner The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. place that they just saw as one in through so many triumphs and trials.’’ MURPHY). Under a previous order of the which they worked. Those days we all Anyone involved in Massachusetts politics House, the gentleman from Massachu- long for. And we thank the O’Neills for from the 1940s to the 1980s could remember setts (Mr. MARKEY) is recognized for 5 the blessings which they conferred Tip O’Neill singing the 1930s’ tune ‘‘Apple minutes. upon each of us during their lives be- Blossom Time’’ to his wife, said U.S. Rep- resentative Barney Frank of Newton. Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, Massa- cause they are amongst our fondest ‘‘Whenever you were with the two of them, chusetts will miss Millie O’Neill dear- memories. everybody was happy,’’ Frank said last ly. She and Tip were one of the great- Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep night. ‘‘They were like some couple out of est couples of the greatest generation. sadness that I pay tribute to a gem of a lady, the movies. The sense of warmth that ex- I am sure that if Tip were with us Millie O’Neill, wife of former Speaker of the isted between the two of them was just ex- today, he would say that he was the House Thomas P. ‘‘Tip’’ O’Neill, who recently traordinary.’’ luckiest man in the world to have met passed away. According to the obituary in the Born Mildred Miller in Somerville in 1914, his sweetheart Millie in high school, to she met her future husband at St. John’s Boston Globe, Millie had taken an afternoon High School in North Cambridge, where she have her willingly and joyfully join nap in order to watch her beloved Red Sox graduated in 1932.