Honoring the 50t Anniversary of the Honorable John D. Dingell's Service in the House of Representatives

HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HONORABLE JOHN D. DINGELL'S SERVICE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- (Extensions of Remarks - January 31, 2006)

SPEECH OF
HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO
OF CONNECTICUT
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2006

* Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues to honor the dean of the House--a man who over the course of a half century has changed the face of this institution. Over the course of 25 Congresses, serving under 10 Presidents, JOHN DINGELL has embodied the best of public service--of honoring those who elect us to office and fulfilling our obligations to people. His is an ideal each of us, in our own way, hopes to achieve in our time as Members of this institution.

* Like his father before him, JOHN DINGELL has made a mark on every Member with whom he has served. He is shrewd, he is tough, and he is as skilled as any public official I have ever known. Indeed, when I was elected to the Congress, one of my first orders of business was to meet with JOHN DINGELL--not to say anything, but to listen. And I will never forget what he told me that day: ``Assist your colleagues when you can--but if they ask for something you can't deliver, just be honest and tell them. Always maintain credibility with your colleagues.'' For 15 years, that advice has stayed with me, helping me serve my constituents and the American people more effectively.

* In whatever capacity he has served his country--from his 4 years as a page in this institution as a boy, to his time in the Army when he rose to the ranks of second lieutenant to his half-century in Congress--JOHN DINGELL has served with dignity, with distinction and with historic consequences.

http://thomas.loc.gov/