Congressional Record—House H9253
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October 7, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H9253 HONORING MILDRED A. O’NEILL High School in North Cambridge, where she causes as chairwoman or executive board (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was graduated in 1932. member for the March of Dimes, Congres- At a 1999 Boston College ceremony hon- sional Wives Club, International Club and So given permission to address the House oring her husband with a permanent library Other Might Eat. for 1 minute and to revise and extend exhibit, Mrs. O’Neill said, ‘‘Life with Tom She was the chairwoman and honorary his remarks and include therein extra- was a wonderful experience, and I am proud chairwoman of the historic Fords Theatre, neous material.) to have shared those 50 years and see parts of receiving the Lincoln Medal in 1984 for her Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise it displayed at this library.’’ fund-raising efforts. She was also the chair- today to mourn the passing of Mildred Tip O’Neill died in 1994, ending a storied woman of the Family Pantry in A. O’Neill, the widow of our late life as one of the country’s premier politi- Harwichport. Speaker, colleague, and friend Tip cians. He retired from the House in 1986 after Many organizations have honored Mrs. 50 years in politics. His wife was a constant O’Neill for her selflessness and devotion to O’Neill. presence in his social and political circles. her husband, family, friends, country and Millie O’Neill, who passed away yes- In his autobiography, O’Neill wrote that church. She has received honorary doctor- terday at the age of 89, was a remark- when he became speaker and Millie learned ates from the University of Scranton, Our able woman. She was a loving wife and that other wives never knew when their hus- Lady of the Elms, and Barry University. In mother, a tireless activist, and a dear bands were coming home at night, she told 1995, the city of Cambridge dedicated the friend. him, ‘‘I don’t want you keeping them in the North Cambridge Branch Library in her She was also a true daughter of Mas- House until 8 or 9 at night. And that, more honor as the Mildred A. O’Neill Library. sachusetts. According to her son Tom, or less, marked the end of evening sessions Mrs. O’Neill’s central role during her adult Millie had taken a nap so that she in the House.’’ life was that of political wife, family mem- Mrs. O’Neill was chair or a member of the could watch last night’s Red Sox play- bers said. Throughout her marriage of 52 boards of the March of Dimes, the Congres- years, she served as sweetheart, mentor, con- off game, and passed away in her sleep. sional Wives Club, and the International fidante, supporter, campaigner and friend. Well, Mr. Speaker, the Red Sox won Club. As chairwoman of the historic Ford’s Her role was epitomized in the dedication of their game. I am sure that Millie is Theatre in Washington, she was one of the her husband’s autobiography, ‘‘Man of the smiling. first to receive the Lincoln Award, in rec- House,’’ which reads: ‘‘For Millie—The All of us who admired and loved Tip ognition in 1984 for spearheading a $4 million Speaker of My House. A loving wife, mother, O’Neill felt the say way about Millie. fund-raising drive. and my partner through so many triumphs As Father Donald Monan, the former ‘‘Now, Mildred, you may have suspected and trials.’’ president of Boston College so beau- now and then that from time to time your Mrs. O’Neill is survived by two daughters, husband and I find something about which tifully said at the late Speaker’s fu- Rosemary of Washington, D.C., and Susan A. we disagree,’’ President Ronald Reagan of Bethesda, Md.; two sons, Thomas P. III of neral mass, ‘‘The pride of the Speaker’s quipped at the awards ceremony. ‘‘But there Boston and Christopher R. of Bethesda, Md.; life was not the Medal of Freedom or is one thing that we sure agree on—he’s a sister, Dorothy Ryan of Marstons Mills; the Legion of Honor, it was the love of lucky, mighty lucky, to be the man in your and eight grandchildren. She was also the his beloved Millie, who gave courage to life. On behalf of everybody with whom you mother of the late Michael T. his struggles and gave measure to his work, your work for this grand, old theater A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. successes and loving understanding has meant so much, Millie, that we all thank Friday at St. John the Evangelist Church, through all his illness.’’ you from the bottom of our hearts.’’ Cambridge. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant The O’Neills lived in Cambridge until 1976, Cemetery, Harwichport. Mr. Speaker, I know that all of my when Tip was named speaker and the family f colleagues join me in keeping the moved to Washington. The city of Cambridge O’Neill family in our thoughts and dedicated the north branch of its library as b 1930 prayers. And I will include the obitu- the Mildred A. O’Neill Library in 1995. SPECIAL ORDERS aries of Millie O’Neill from the Boston Raymond L. Flynn, former mayor of Bos- Globe and Boston Herald in the ton, said, ‘‘She was a great friend. She was The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. RECORD. just a remarkable mother and led a wonder- BIGGERT). Under the Speaker’s an- ful life and was a great representative for [From the Boston Globe, Oct. 7, 2003] nounced policy of January 7, 2003, and America.’’ under a previous order of the House, MILDRED O’NEILL, 89; WIFE, ‘‘PARTNER’’ OF In addition to her son, Mrs. O’Neill leaves POLITICAL ICON two daughters, Rosemary of Washington and the following Members will be recog- (By Ron DePasquale) Susan of Bethesda; a son, Christopher, also nized for 5 minutes each. Mildred A. ‘‘Millie’’ O’Neill, widow and of Bethesda; a sister, Dorothy Ryan, of f celebrated sweetheart of Thomas P. ‘‘Tip’’ Marstons Mills; and eight grandchildren. A O’Neill Jr., former speaker of the US House son, Michael, died in 1997. A funeral Mass LOWERING THE COST OF of Representatives, died in her sleep yester- will be said Friday at 10 a.m. in St. John the PRESCRIPTION DRUGS day in her Bethesda, Md., home, her family Evangelist Church in Cambridge. Burial will The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a said. be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Harwichport, previous order of the House, the gen- Her son, former Massachusetts Lieutenant where Mrs. O’Neill had long summered. Governor Thomas P. O’Neill III of Boston, tleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is said Mrs. O’Neill had taken a nap, so she [From the Boston Herald, Oct. 7, 2003] recognized for 5 minutes. could catch last night’s Red Sox playoff Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam MILDRED A. O’NEILL, AT 89, WIFE OF LATE game, when she died. She was 89. Speaker, the big issue that is being U.S. SPEAKER Her son called her a ‘‘lovely, perfect lady’’ raised on the front page of USA Today, who enjoyed taking care of her family and Mildred A. (Miller) O’Neill of Bethesda, Md., formerly of Cambridge, wife of the late which I hope all of my colleagues will working for charity. His parents’ love was have a chance to read, is the very large inspiring, he said. ‘‘They were inseparable at U.S. House Speaker Thomas P. ‘‘Tip’’ O’Neill a very early age and right through to the end Jr. and an activist involved in many organi- price disparities between prescription of their lives,’’ he said. zations, died yesterday at her home. She was drug costs here in the United States On the dedication page of his 1987 auto- 89. and what they cost elsewhere in the biography, ‘‘Man of the House,’’ Tip O’Neill Born in Somerville, Mrs. O’Neill was edu- world. I was amazed that the media is referred to his wife as ‘‘The Speaker of My cated at St. John’s School in North Cam- really finally jumping on this issue, be- House. A loving wife, mother and my partner bridge and later graduated from St. John’s cause the gentleman from Minnesota through so many triumphs and trials.’’ High School in 1932, where she was first in- (Mr. GUTKNECHT), who has been leading Anyone involved in Massachusetts politics troduced to her husband. She was a longtime from the 1940s to the 1980s could remember Cambridge resident, where she lived until the fight on this issue, has been work- Tip O’Neill singing the 1930s’ tune ‘‘Apple 1976, when she and her husband moved to ing on it a long time. Blossom Time’’ to his wife, said US Rep- Washington, D.C., after he was elected It shows very clearly that the people resentative Barney Frank of Newton. speaker of the U.S. House of Representa- in the USA pay 58 percent more for pre- ‘‘Whenever you were with the two of them, tives. She was also a longtime summer resi- scription drugs than people in Switzer- everybody was happy,’’ Frank said last dent of Harwichport. land do, 60 percent more than they night. ‘‘They were like some couple out of Mrs. O’Neill was active in many causes, spend in Great Britain, 67 percent more particularly the St. John’s Church Rebuild- the movies. The sense of warmth that ex- than Canada, 74 percent more than isted between the two of them was just ex- ing Fund and was president of the parish traordinary.’’ Guild of St.