[Pages H3394-H3404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING THE GRATITUDE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ITS
PARLIAMENTARIAN, THE HONORABLE CHARLES W. JOHNSON.

Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 651)
expressing the gratitude of the House of Representatives to its
Parliamentarian, the Honorable Charles W. Johnson, and ask unanimous
consent for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

H. Res. 651

Whereas Charles W. Johnson was appointed to the Office of
the Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives in May
1964 and, over the ensuing 40 years has continuously served
in that Office under seven successive Speakers, the past 10
years as Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives
under the appointments of three successive Speakers;
Whereas Charles W. Johnson has unfailingly endeavored to
apply pertinent precedent to every parliamentary question, in
recognition of the principle that fidelity to precedent
promotes procedural fairness and legitimacy; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson has institutionalized in the
Office of the Parliamentarian his demonstrated commitment to
consistency in parliamentary analysis: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its
profound gratitude to the Honorable Charles W. Johnson for
his unrivaled record of devoted service and steady, impartial
guidance as its Parliamentarian.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.

Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman may inquire.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, is a motion to table this resolution in
order at this time?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert),
the distinguished Speaker, will control 1 hour.
Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
after which I yield my time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) and
ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago Charlie Johnson, fresh out of
Virginia Law School, came to work for the Office of the
Parliamentarian. Little did he know that 40 years later, almost to the
day, he would be announcing his retirement from that same office.
Charlie, we are going to miss you.
You have been a rock. You have advised seven different Speakers and
countless Speaker pro tems on how they should rule on various
parliamentary questions. You have advised thousands of Members and even
more staff in how to draft their amendments. You have given us advice
on committee jurisdiction, the favorite part of my job.
The Parliamentarian in the House takes on special significance, more
so than any other legislative body. You

[[Page H3395]]

have to be exceedingly fair and judicious, and have to be seen as fair
and judicious by both sides. And I know that is not always easy.
Charlie replaced Bill Brown as Parliamentarian. Bill started the
process of demystifying the precedents used by his predecessor, Lew
Deschler. That is a pretty good pedigree of institutional knowledge.
Charlie has continued to make the Parliamentarian's office more
accessible and more open to Members and staff.
Charlie is a man of many talents. He is dedicated to education and
talks endlessly about his beloved Camp Dudley, a place for kids to
learn about the great outdoors. He is a baseball fanatic, a southpaw
who pitches batting practice for the Los Angeles Dodgers. And he has an
avid interest in the English House of Commons. In fact, he is writing a
book with his counterpart in London comparing our procedures with those
of the Parliament.
I am sure he thinks he will get the chance to spend more time with
his lovely wife Martha and his two boys, Charles and Drew, once he
retires, but let us not kid ourselves. If I know Charlie Johnson, I
know he will keep as active as he ever has with his many interests in
many things.
I have asked John Sullivan to replace Charlie, and he has accepted
the offer. John is well respected by both Republicans and Democrats and
has served in the Parliamentarian's office since 1987. John is a
graduate from the Air Force Academy and got his law degree from Indiana
School of Law. John is an avid college basketball fan whose allegiance
tends to flow to any team that Bobby Knight coaches. John is an able
successor to Charlie Johnson, Bill Brown and Lew Deschler, and he will
do a fine job.
Once again, best wishes to Charlie Johnson in his golden years. We
wish you the best.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) is
recognized.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield half of my time to the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Pelosi) and ask unanimous consent that she be
allowed to control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.

{time} 1015

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
To the gentleman from California's (Mr. Dreier) question as to
whether it was appropriate to table the resolution, I think we should
have tabled the letter.
Mr. Speaker, it is with personal and official pride that I rise to
pay tribute to Charles Johnson on his retirement as House
Parliamentarian and to thank him for his many years of outstanding
service to this body.
To praise Charlie Johnson is easy, and it is one thing that brings
Democrats and Republicans together. I have only served for 17 years of
Charlie's 40, and during that time I have observed, and we have all
witnessed, profound changes in how this body conducts its business. But
through every change and difficult time, the House has always been able
to count on the expert, honest, and fair advice of Charlie Johnson.
Charlie began his service in the House in 1964, as acknowledged by
the Speaker, shortly after graduating from the University of Virginia
Law School. When he was appointed House Parliamentarian in 1994, he
joined a distinguished line that includes Clarence Cannon, Lewis
Deschler, and Bill Brown. Think of this, my colleagues: Charlie is just
the third Parliamentarian since 1928.
Respected on both sides of the aisle, Charlie was first appointed by
a Democratic Speaker, Speaker Tom Foley, and reappointed by Republican
Speakers Newt Gingrich and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert).
Charlie exemplifies the best of this House. With his unquestioned
integrity and keen intellect, he has consistently maintained the
highest standards of nonpartisanship and scholarship for the Office of
Parliamentarian. Charlie has guided us carefully, but firmly, through
turbulent floor debates; and he knows of what we speak here and has
provided sound and discreet advice to individual Members and staff.
He has served as a mentor to the outstanding Parliamentarians that
serve under him, among them his respected successor, John Sullivan. And
we are all pleased with the Speaker's announcement that John Sullivan
will be named the Parliamentarian; and that, of course, is the
suggestion of Charlie Johnson. So respected is he that he can even
suggest his own successor.
On top of everything, Charlie Johnson is truly a kind man. The
Speaker and others will reference Camp Dudley, one of his acts of
kindness.
As a San Franciscan, and, Charlie, I am going to spill the beans on
you, I am delighted that Charlie is also a devoted San Francisco Giants
fan. But Charlie is not just a fan. When he leaves us, he will take up
his true calling as a major league batting practice pitcher, beginning
with a Dodgers-Expos game soon.
Perhaps, Mr. Leader, we can use our collective influence to have this
event covered by C-SPAN. Maybe we could just do it right here on the
floor and then it will be covered by C-SPAN.
Although Charlie will relinquish his daily duties here, Charlie's
dedication to this House, of course, will remain. Charlie will continue
the difficult, but essential, work on the Precedents of the House of
Representatives.
Earlier this week when the Speaker told me of the news of Charlie's
submitting this letter, which I agree should be tabled, I received the
news with mixed emotions. We all know how great Charlie is as the
Parliamentarian and what a great friend he is to many of us, but of
course we want to see him go on after 40 years to fulfill himself
personally in other ways. And so we know he will teach professionally
at the University of Virginia Law School and he will collaborate with
the Parliamentarian in the House of Commons of the U.K. on a book of
parliamentary procedures that will surely be a great contribution on
that important topic.
But I was delighted to hear Charlie talk about his own personal
plans. Of course he will have more time with his wonderful family, and
he is very lucky his grandchildren live in the region. In fact, we are
lucky his grandchildren live in the region because hopefully that will
mean that Charlie will visit us frequently.
As you leave us, Charlie, please go forth with the knowledge that
anyone who values the work of this House of Representatives indeed
values the work of democracy, is deeply in your debt, and that goes
well beyond those of us who have served here, with the knowledge that
you will be deeply missed and with the hope for us that you will visit
us often. Good luck to you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. And thank you to your family for sharing you with us.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed feelings that I come to the House today
to wish farewell to our respected and beloved Parliamentarian Charlie
Johnson. It is a happy day because it provides us with an opportunity
to recognize one of the true giants of the United States House of
Representatives and finally give one of our often underappreciated
officials his due and also because we know he is on his way to a happy
retirement.
But it is a sad day, as well, for the House is losing one of its true
institutions. For more than 4 decades, Charlie has provided Members of
both parties the benefit of his guidance and his judgment and his
experience. Charlie is an honest man, one of the few in Washington
whose staff can honestly claim that they rarely make mistakes and
honestly claim that they take responsibility for them when they do.
For instance, when I took over as majority leader, Charlie and I
often butted heads over the length of floor votes. I urged the Chair to
gavel votes closely right at 15 minutes, even as Members were
scrambling to the floor to cast their votes. I thought that imposing a
little discipline in the voting would encourage a more efficient use of
floor time in the House.
But Charlie's experience taught him the value of tolerance and
understanding in these matters; and particularly during certain votes
late last year, I finally saw the wisdom of Charlie's way of thinking
in leaving some of those votes open. For those of you on the other side
of the aisle, that was a Tom DeLay's idea of a joke.

[[Page H3396]]

Along with Charlie's experience, we will also miss his undying
support for the Amherst College Lord Jeffs, which, to those of you who
follow the perennial NESCAC, the cellar-dwellers, know, is vocal,
enthusiastic, and honestly a little sad.
Seriously, Mr. Speaker, the job of the Parliamentarian is a job of
trust, of integrity, and of honesty. These are the qualities without
which no description of Charlie Johnson would be complete. The House
has been honored by his service, and we have been honored by his
presence.
Good luck, Charlie. God bless you and your family, and of course we
always thank you for your exemplary and distinguished service to the
House of Representatives and to this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Dreier) and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to
control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the very
distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), ranking member on the
Committee on Rules. He and the Committee on Rules and staff, as well as
other Members, know full well the quality of the excellence of the work
of Charlie Johnson, and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to
control that time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from
Texas, the ranking member of the Committee on Rules, for yielding me
this time.
Those who will speak have been here for some years. Most of us who
speak are known as institutions. We love this House. We believe this
House plays a very unique role in this democracy. It is called the
People's house, a House to which one can be elected but not appointed.
It is a House where the passions and wisdom of the people are joined in
this crucible of decision-making process. It is a House that is
composed of persons of different views, different regions, indeed
different races and nationalities. It is a House where our Founding
Fathers designed American democracy to be realized.
And in that context it is extraordinarily important to have a House
that plays by the rules. Our Founding Fathers knew that if we were to
have democracy, it would have to be governed by rules.
The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), my good friend, the
former majority leader, is on the floor; and I have heard him say so
often that democracy is a substitute for war.
In that context, it is sometimes confrontational; and we need a wise
person helped by wise staff to, in effect, be the referee, to say to
both sides that we are a democracy and we resolve questions in a
peaceful way, perhaps animated, perhaps heated, but nevertheless in a
way that seeks to realize the dream of our Founding Fathers, a dream
which has been sustained now since 1789 because of people like Charles
W. Johnson, III. Not elected to serve but selected, selected by persons
who themselves are elected and who know the value of this institution
and the absolutely essential position that Charles Johnson III was
called to serve in.
I am not objective. Those of us who speak will not be objective. We
are his friends. We are his admirers. We are appreciative of the
service that he has given to this House but, much more importantly, to
this country. He is wise. He is also thoughtful. He is also caring of
the institution, its staff and its Members but, most of all, of his
country.
Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues to thank Charlie Johnson for
his service. Charlie's service will be long remembered. He will write a
book, and like his predecessors, that book will be used for generations
to come to help manage this center of democracy, the people's House.
I somewhat lament the fact that Charlie is leaving and will be
replaced by John Sullivan, not because John Sullivan is not a worthy
successor, but because I prefer Gary Williams to Bobby Knight, and Drew
went to the University of Maryland and therefore leavened Charlie
Johnson's University of Virginia experience.
But, Charlie, as you leave, as we honor you, as we thank you, we wish
you God speed and wish you many years of the kind of productivity and
success that you have enjoyed here in this House. You have been and
continue to be a great American in the tradition of your predecessors
who ensured that the people's House would be revered by its Members and
respected by those it serves. Godspeed.

{time} 1030

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very challenging time for all of us, because
Charlie has been such a great friend and enormous asset to this
institution.
Many of us are proud to be institutionalists, and as the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said, I am one of them; and there are an
awful lot of people here who, over the last decades have seen attacks
made on this institution itself, but many of us, you included, Mr.
Speaker, have had a strong commitment to this institution.
The Office of the Parliamentarian began in 1857 when Speaker James L.
Orr of South Carolina appointed Thaddeus Morrice as ``Messenger.''
Morrice was said to have a marvelous memory and his ability to recall
the House precedents and other decisions of the Chair required him to
be near the Speaker in his role as presiding officer of the House.
The title was later changed to ``Clerk to the Speaker,'' then to
``Clerk at the Speaker's Table,'' and in 1927 to ``House
Parliamentarian.'' The first person to actually have the title of
Parliamentarian was Lehrn Fess.
Today, we are honoring Charles W. Johnson, III as he steps down from
that most important position. There are few people, including those
Members who have been elected to serve, who have contributed more to
this institution than Charlie Johnson.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, I believe that Charles W. Johnson, III is the
greatest Parliamentarian to have served this House and our country. His
dedication and service to this great institution is unparalleled in our
history.
Oh, yes, great men have served before, as we have heard, but he has
distinguished himself from them by his desire and ability to not only
assist the Speaker and other presiding officers, but to reach out and
teach Members and staff the rules of this institution.
Moreover, he has been an example as to how we should conduct
ourselves in office and in life. He has always been a gentleman who has
dealt with Members honestly and fairly. He has worked with Members from
both sides of the aisle evenhandedly and without prejudice. His advice
and counsel have always been sound and thoughtful. He has been steady
and consistent, even when there has been turmoil in the House and in
the country at large.
Charlie has helped this institution during some of the most trying
times that our country has endured. He has competently served this
House and our country by assuring that this great Chamber proceeds in
order when there has been chaos and conflict in the world around us. He
has been at our side from the Vietnam War to the War on Terror.
There is not enough time to ever fully explain how much Charlie has
contributed. Every piece, every single piece of legislation, every
amendment considered, every motion, every floor event, every law
enacted over the past several decades, bears his mark. Who else among
us can actually say that?
I am humbled at the thought of how much he has done for me personally
as a Member of this body and as chairman of the Committee on Rules. He
has assisted me through major reforms and minor jurisdictional
squabbles.
But today I want to say thank you very much, Charlie, not only for
what you have done for me, but I want to thank you for what you have
done for this great institution, the greatest deliberative body known
to man and to our country as a whole.

[[Page H3397]]

Yesterday morning, not unusually, the House Committee on Rules
convened at 7 a.m. to proceed with consideration of the Department of
Defense authorization rule and the conference report on the budget. At
the end of that meeting, I joined with the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Frost), the ranking minority member of the Committee on Rules, in
asking for an agreement to be unanimous, and, thank heavens for you,
Charlie, no one did call a vote, but we unanimously did pass a
resolution that had been crafted by our able Staff Director, Billy
Pitts, who, as you know, is a great institutionalist and very committed
to this body, and Kristi Walseth, who worked in fashioning the
resolution.
I should say that we actually have many more staff people on the
House floor, I think, than Members at this moment, because there are so
many staff members with whom you have worked closely. I mentioned Billy
Pitts, but I want to say on behalf of the bipartisan staff membership
of the House Committee on Rules, working closely with you and your
team, I see here on the floor Seth Webb and a number of people from the
Speaker's office who work, I know, very closely with you. These staff
members will not have an opportunity to speak here on the House floor,
but I know that every single one of them would want us to express our
appreciation to you for your effort.
I would like to take just a moment to read the resolution, which we
overnight have gotten on parchment, and I am going to personally
present to you here. This was voted unanimously by the Committee on
Rules at 7 o'clock, foggy, yesterday morning.

Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has served the House of
Representatives with dedication and devotion in the Office of
the Parliamentarian since May 20, 1964; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III learned the Rules,
practices and precedents of the House under the tutelage of
Lewis Deschler, who served the House as Parliamentarian from
1928 until 1974, and his good and great friend W. Holmes
Brown, who served as the House Parliamentarian from 1974
until 1994; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has used those lessons to
honorably serve as a universally respected Parliamentarian of
the House from 1994 until today; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has, as a teacher of House
rules, its practices and precedents, taught respect for the
institution of the United States House of Representatives to
countless Members of Congress and their staff; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has provided to the
Committee on Rules countless hours of advice and counsel as
well as assistance in its work as the traffic cop of the
House; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III has ensured that the Office
the Parliamentarian will continue to operate with the high
standards and non-partisan manner that he and his
predecessors have demanded by assembling a knowledgeable,
skilled and experienced staff who serve as a vital part of
the operation of the House; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III, or ``Charlie'' as he is
known in the House, will continue to serve the House as he
continues the work of Lew Deschler and Bill Brown by
finishing the Precedents of the House; and
Whereas his good humor, kind smile and love of baseball
will be missed by all who know him in the House of
Representatives; and
Whereas Charles W. Johnson, III will officially retire from
the United States House of Representatives on May 20, 2004,
exactly 40 years after he first came to this body: Now,
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Members of the Committee on Rules
express their deep and lasting appreciation for the service
Charles W. Johnson, III has given to the Committee, the House
of Representatives and the people of the United States of
America.

I look forward to giving this to you personally, Charlie.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you and the Democratic leader
for bringing this resolution to the Floor this morning so that Members
of the House may pay tribute to our friend Charles W. Johnson.
Charlie is taking leave of his position as Parliamentarian of the
House today, exactly 40 years after he began as a young lawyer fresh
out of law school in the Parliamentarian's office. On his last day in
the House it is only fitting that the Members of this body can take the
floor to pay tribute to him and express our gratitude and our
friendship.
To say that Charlie is a creature of the House or a servant of this
institution does him a disservice, for without him, many of us would
never have learned the intricacies of the Rules of the House, its
practices and its procedures. Without his sage advice and counsel, so
many of us, as well as our staff, would be lost in the maze of
legislative practice.
His office, just off this floor, is more than just an office; it has
served as a focal point for discussions both pointed and prosaic,
political and procedural, but always, always, non-partisan.
Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, Charlie is the institution. During his 40
years as a Parliamentarian, he has served Democratic Speakers and
Republican Speakers. He has shown fairness to all and malice to none.
Not an easy task, where tempers can run high and where blame is easily
cast.
He has served through peace and war and through times of great
national triumph and tragedy. Charlie has always risen to the
challenge, and in doing so, has challenged so many of us to do so as
well.
Charlie took over the job as the Parliamentarian in 1994 following
the retirement of his dear friend and colleague Bill Brown. Just as
Bill was a voice of calm, deliberative reason, so is Charlie. Far too
often we, as Members, fail to recognize the importance of those
qualities in the people who ensure that the business of the House can
proceed, regardless of which political party holds the majority. I know
that it is often the case with regard to Charlie and the entire staff
of the Office of the Parliamentarian.
Charlie is so good at what he does that he makes the job look easy.
But I, for one, know it is not. But his talents, his intellect and his
love for this institution have made our job as legislators all the more
easy, and I am grateful.
When I was first elected to the House 26 years ago, I became only the
second freshman Member in the 20th century to take a seat on the
Committee on Rules. Had it not been for Bill and Charlie, my
acclimation to that difficult post would have been far more difficult.
I know because of their patient tutelage, their willingness to just sit
down and talk, their careful guidance, my knowledge of the Rules and
how to use them now runs both deep and wide.
I want to take just a moment, Mr. Speaker, to kind of talk about my
personal experience with Charlie and his office.
From time to time, I, my staff, would go to see Charlie and we would
ask very direct questions, questions that were vital to formulating
strategy on our side of the aisle. What he would do would be to respond
to every question and to answer every question truthfully. He did not
go beyond that. He did not try to suggest what strategic steps we
should take. He only answered what we asked. And I know he did that for
the other side as well.
He was truly acting in the best, non-partisan position in helping us
as partisans understand what we could and could not do. But he never
went beyond that. He never said, ``By the way, you know, you could do
this also.'' And that is the role of a Parliamentarian, to answer
truthfully the questions of both sides of the aisle, and then let those
Members on both sides of the aisle figure out where they go with the
information.
I cannot tell you how important that is to the functioning of this
body and how important it has been to me as a Member to know that I can
go to someone and get an honest answer; who will answer my questions,
but who will not necessarily go beyond that. And I respect that.
I know we will all miss Charlie, but I also know we all wish him
well. He has earned the respect of hundreds of Members and more staff
than he can count. He is a man of the House and a deep and true friend
of the House. He has ensured that his office will continue to serve the
House by assembling a talented staff.
I owe him so much, and there are not words to express my deep
gratitude and affection. I can only wish you the best, Charlie. And
while I know he has taken great pains to ensure the institution will go
on without him, I know it will not be the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page H3398]]

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I am happy to yield 1 minute
to my friend, the gentleman from Sanibel, Florida (Mr. Goss), the very
distinguished vice chairman of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for
yielding me time.
I too wish to associate myself with the praise and gratitude for the
man and his service to our institution. I would characterize Charlie as
the true north on the compass of this institution and the man who had
the good judgment to understand when magnetic declinations were in
order. He has had seasoned patience with seasoned Members, and he has
had extraordinary patience with new Members, to try to explain how
things happen here. I think many of us feel that his personal judgment
is as much a hallmark as the knowledge of the institution, which is
matched by none.
The reason I asked for time to speak is that Charlie will always be
in my memory on a fateful day in this country, September 11, 2001. The
Speaker of the House desired that the House be opened for a prayer on
that fateful day even as events were transpiring around us. It was not
the right time, there was concern about precedent. Parliamentarians
always worry about precedent.

{time} 1045

Charlie found a way for us to get the House opened, the prayer said,
and the House evacuated. And I have, to this day, that official Record
hanging on my wall in my office and it will always be a memory of my
life. Because I think it was very important that that day was recorded
that way about this institution, and it would not have happened without
him, of course.
Charlie is well regarded here and overseas, as we know. I have talked
to parliamentarians, as I am sure others will testify, who come and
wonder how this democracy works; how the people's House works. He has
imparted that knowledge and wisdom and judgment around the globe, and I
have heard it expressed many times from visitors who come here.
He has added value. He has brought credit to our institution. We are
going to miss you a lot, Charlie, and I wanted to say thanks.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the dean of the House.
(Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great personal sadness about
the departure from this institution of a great friend, wise counselor,
mentor, and superb public servant. I do speak, however, with pride
about the accomplishments of Charlie Johnson, who has served us, the
House, and his country well.
He is in all particulars a great patriot and a great American. He has
been wise counselor to us, mentor; he has given us good advice; and he
has seen to it that we understood the history and the traditions of
this institution.
He has served us in the great traditions of Clarence Cannon, Lewis
Deschler, Bill Brown, and now the fine work which he has done. He is
going to be missed by this institution. He has served as an example to
all of us and to those who will follow in his particular task as
Parliamentarian.
It has been his responsibility to see to it that the House function
as it should, in accord with the great traditions that we have here of
respect, of decency, and of love of this institution. And for that and
all of the other things that we can say good about Charlie, we have to
recognize that we should say thank you; that we should say well done;
that we should wish him well for what it is that he has accomplished.
The House is a better institution for his wonderful service to this
body. And all of us here, as individual Members, particularly those of
us who have had frequent occasion to consult with him about the rules,
about the traditions, about how this institution does work and how it
should work have a special reason to be grateful to him and to have a
special burden of gratitude to him for what he has done.
I am proud, indeed, that he has been my friend. I am grateful to him
as my mentor. I am appreciative to him of his wise counsel and
guidance. And I know that I am not alone in feeling a singular debt of
gratitude to my good friend, our Parliamentarian, as he leaves us.
I would note that other Members have these same feelings and all have
good reasons. And I would note that the House of Representatives is a
better institution, and one more in keeping with the traditions and
with the principles and practices, and in keeping with what it is we
would like to say it was, a great institution, the House of the people,
and a place which serves all of us.
All of us have reason to miss him, and we will indeed. We will wish
him well. We will pray that God will be good to him and that He will
give him many years to enjoy a reflection upon the great service which
he has given to this great country.
I say again to him, Charlie, well done, good and faithful servant.
You have made this a great institution, and we are all grateful to you.
Thank you, my friend.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).
(Mr. PETRI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of real loss that I first
heard the news that Charlie Johnson was leaving after so many years of
dedicated service to all of us in the House, and I want to take this
occasion to join with my colleagues in paying tribute to him today.
I personally take great comfort in seeing Charlie each day at his
post on the Speaker's podium, monitoring our proceedings, guiding the
Member who has been appointed to preside over the House, and making the
determinations and rulings needed to keep this House running in a
manner that respects the rights and the privileges of all Members. I
know that we are in good hands.
The person who serves as Parliamentarian influences the daily
activities of the House, and though not known by many Americans, has
had a great impact on some of the most dramatic moments that have
occurred in this Chamber. From his perch, he literally has a front seat
to history. I am sure at times he found himself in situations he never
expected; but through it all, his behavior was beyond reproach.
Perhaps what impressed me most as I got to know Charlie over the
years was his commitment to and interest in parliamentary procedure,
not only here in the U.S. but in other legislative bodies as well.
Charlie often traveled to consult with others and has participated in
conferences and hearings explaining our rules and procedures.
Speaking from my own experience, he joined us on trips to London as
part of the British-American Parliamentary Group. He spent at least
part of the time consulting with his counterpart in the British
Parliament regarding a cooperative project on parliamentary procedures
and comparing the two institutions.
Charlie was an educator. In addition to writing and editing books
about parliamentary procedure, he spent a lot of time meeting with
school kids and others to explain how our House works and the
importance of parliamentary procedure and its literal impact on the
history of our House and this Nation.
As he leaves us, we can thank him too for the way he ran the Office
of Parliamentarian and mentored the deputy and assistant
Parliamentarians under his direction. His deputy, John Sullivan, will
become the Parliamentarian next month. This also reflects well on the
standards Charlie set for his office.
I will miss Charlie, but I will value always his integrity,
professionalism, his attention given to each Member no matter what
party they may have represented, his principled advice and conduct, his
love and respect for the House and its traditions, and, most
importantly, for his friendship.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the former Democratic leader of the House.
Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I found out something I did not know about
Charlie today. I found out from our leader that he is a San Francisco
Giants fan. If I had known that, I would not have come today.
On a more serious note, I have had some time lately to do some things

[[Page H3399]]

that I usually have not had time to do, so I have been watching on
television the early part of the proceedings here in the House, and I
hear these rules being explained. I have tried to put myself in the
shoes of an average citizen, and I think it is gobbledygook, and I do
not understand what they are talking about. But that really is the
magic of this place.
As the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said earlier, I am fond of
saying that politics is a substitute for violence. It really is. And
the only thing that allows us to resolve our differences peacefully is
that we have a process. We have rules. We have laws. We have
parliamentary procedure. And that process is what makes this place work
and makes democracy work in our country.
The keeper of those rules has been our subject today, Charles
Johnson. He has done it, in my view, as well as it can be done. He has
always been fair. No one questions his judgment or his enunciation of
the precedents of the House, whether it comes down in your favor or it
does not. He is a professional. No one ever doubts his knowledge or his
dedication to knowledge about the process.
Finally, his character, his human character, has been impressive to
everybody who has come in contact with him. Whether a Member, staff,
people visiting, everyone knows that this is a man of great character.
I guess the best story I can tell to kind of sum up my feelings about
Charlie is that we had a common friend, someone that I went to
Northwestern University with and was one of my best friends there,
wound up at the University of Virginia Law School and became a friend
of Charlie's. So we, in that common friendship, got somewhat of a
personal relationship; and we, unfortunately, saw our friend die of
cancer some years back. But even with that personal relationship I had
with Charlie, I never, ever felt that in anything he did while I was
leader or in anything I have done here was anything other than fair.
Never prejudiced. Never giving in to human relationships. Always
calling it the way he saw it and making judgments on the process, which
is at the heart of our democratic experiment, fairly and with honesty
and good character.
Charlie, we truly will miss you. We welcome the successor, who is
going to do a great job; and we wish you the greatest time in
retirement that anybody could ever have. Thank you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), a Member who has chosen to
retire at the end of this term but has served extraordinarily well on
both the Committee on International Relations and the Committee on
Financial Services.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me this time and for his statement.
It is people that make an institution function, that make it great,
that sustain and build respect for it; and Charles W. Johnson is
certainly one of those people. He has helped the Congress respect and
assert the best traditions and decorum of the House.
I said to him, Charlie, you cannot retire before I do. I will miss
you too much. And yet I guess we were born in the same vintage year.
Nevertheless, we have great respect for John Sullivan, and we look
forward to his service here as Parliamentarian.
I think it was just a few minutes ago that the distinguished
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said Charlie Johnson is not only a
knowledgeable man but he is a wise man and a caring man, and that is
certainly the case. I respect the contributions so much that he has
made to help young people who have less advantages than most others.
Charles Johnson has had a tremendous and very positive impact on the
U.S. House of Representatives during his service here, 40 years to the
month in the Office of the Parliamentarian, and 10 years as our
Parliamentarian. Tremendous service!
I remember a day back on January 21, 1997. I do not preside over the
House that much, but it has been my lot to preside on some of the most
difficult days, and I recall that difficult and historic day. And it
was the strategy and advice of Charles Johnson that helped set the tone
and the order and demeanor of the House that day, through me, which was
so crucial. I thank him for that and for so many other occasions.
It has been my privilege to travel with Charlie as I led the House
delegation to the NATO-Parliamentary Assembly, and not only going to
Brussels but, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) said,
visiting the House of Commons where Charles Johnson is very well known.
Charlie has lots of friends there and in the leadership of the House of
Representatives.
If Charlie and this Member ever talk about nonessential things here,
like sports, we have talked about college football. And I have never
until yesterday really known how much of an interest Charlie Johnson
had in baseball. But I think I am shortly going to join him as a fan of
the San Francisco Giants. A couple of years ago, the Wall Street
Journal ran a piece on the chronic shortage of left-handed batting
practice pitchers in major league baseball. So shortly thereafter,
Charlie's ability to throw strikes from the port side was tested as he
auditioned and then he started pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers
when they came to Camden Yards to play the Orioles. Then he pitched for
them in Philadelphia, helping the Dodgers, and soon they became better
hitters of left-handed pitchers.
If it had not been for yesterday's rework of the schedule because of
rain, I understand he would have been doing the same thing for the
Dodgers in the Phillies' new stadium. So that is a remarkable side of
Charlie that I did not know about at all.
Mr. Speaker, as he leaves here, our outgoing Parliamentarian is going
to be working with the recently retired Clerk of the British House of
Commons, William McKay, on an updated comparative book on Parliament
and Congress. Charlie's appreciation of the value of comparative
studies through his work with counterparts in other countries,
especially with that Mother of all Parliaments, has played an essential
role in the development of programs of mutual exchange. You have heard
that already referenced. People on every continent know Charlie Johnson
because they have worked with him in their parliamentary efforts. So he
is going to be working with Sir William in that respect.
Mr. Speaker, if it were consistent with American tradition, we would
make you Sir Charles. But, nevertheless, we know that this is going to
be another major contribution and it has some impact here. As you leave
the House, Charlie Johnson should feel good to know that the recently
established Office of Interparliamentary Exchange reflects his interest
in improving not only the conduct of activities here in this parliament
but in parliaments around the world.

{time} 1100

So Charlie Johnson, best wishes to you and your family. Thank you for
your public service and your service to the U.S. House of
Representatives. You will be greatly missed.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, parliamentary inquiry, is it correct that the
Speaker accepted Mr. Johnson's resignation?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman is correct.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the chair.
Mr. Speaker, I often refer to Archie the cockroach. This is my
political bible, and Archie has something for almost every occasion.
One thing he said once was ``Boss, I believe the millennium will come,
but there is a long list of people who have to go first.'' I think
Charlie misunderstood. Charlie, Archie was not talking about you, and I
hope you reconsider.
Mr. Speaker, for 40 years Charlie has been at the center of every
effort of this institution to live up to the responsibility which it
has to the oldest democracy in the world. Democracy can thrive only
when all of our citizens believe that there is at least one place, some
forum to which they can go in order to make their case and to have
their arguments heard. They do not have to win, but they have to know
that there is a place where they will receive a fair hearing. When that
happens, democracy thrives; and when it does not, democracy dies a
little.

[[Page H3400]]

I think more than anyone in this institution, Charlie Johnson has
dedicated himself to see to it that on this floor, democracy thrives.
He has been dedicated to the proposition that the rules ought to be
applied in a way that enabled the majority to meet their
responsibilities to govern and at the same time to enable the minority
to offer and be heard on its alternative visions.
To the extent that the House has on occasion not been used that way,
the fault certainly does not lie on the shoulders of Charlie Johnson.
Charlie Johnson, I think, has met his responsibility to the
institution, to the country, to both political parties; and we are all
the better for it.
I know people have said a lot of good things about him today, and I
know that on occasions like this people often exaggerate. For instance,
I understand that Charlie's own wife was watching this on C-SPAN, and
she heard so many good things about him that she rushed to the Chamber
to see if we were talking about the same fellow. We are, Charlie. We
are all talking about you. If Dick Bolling were here, who was my mentor
in this place and who as a Member I think knew more about the rules
than any other Member I ever knew, if Dick Bolling were here today, he
would say, ``Well done, thou good and faithful servant.''
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Savannah, Georgia (Mr. Kingston), the very distinguished vice chairman
of the Republican Conference.
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to say a few remarks about our
great friend and departing parliamentarian. If Members think about the
world we live in today and all the technology and all the feats of
engineering, we take so much for granted. We get in our cars, and our
cars are almost a mechanical and a computer platform now, and we never
marvel, we never question. We just flip a switch, and we expect
something to happen. We take it all for granted.
That is somewhat how we are as we come down to the floor of the
House. As 435 independent contractors, we come down here and we expect
bills to be on the table, we expect to have a learned staff who can ask
why a certain amendment was germane and why it was allowed and why it
was not allowed. We expect to have some professionals who can keep
their eyes on our distinguished brethren and sisters on the Committee
on Rules, for example.
We need a neutral body as our motions flow that can say this is how
the procedure must go on. And I think the House should be very proud of
what Charlie and his entire team have done and all of the staff members
that make this body click. Lord knows what would happen if we did not
have this. We might look like the U.S. Senate.
I do not know if my words will be taken down, Charlie. I know there
is a whole list of things I am not supposed to say. For example, I
cannot turn to my friend, David Obey or John Lewis and say, John. I
have to say my distinguished friend from. Right now, this is like
fingernails going against a blackboard. He keeps Members like me who
can be somewhat flippant, who might say the wrong thing, who may
deserve to have words taken down. He is the guy who says I may agree
with what he just said about the fellow Member of the House, I might
agree with his politics, I might disagree, but I am going to stick with
the rule books. We need to have somebody like that. And he keeps people
like the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) watching that clock.
There was a great TV commercial of Motel 6 years ago. Tom Bodett made
famous the line, ``I am going to keep the light on for you.'' I always
liked that because my mom would keep the light on for us when we were
teenagers going home because the light represented security, the light
represented home and wisdom and fairness. Charlie has kept the light on
for all of us for many, many years, a source of wisdom, a source of
fairness, a bright spot no matter what the legislative agenda of the
day was; and we thank Charlie for all of his hard work.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Waxman).
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, so much of the time in this institution in
recent years has been partisan, rancorous comments back and forth,
difficult feelings among the Members; and this year, which is an
election year, has exacerbated all of that. So it is important to note
that Democrats and Republicans are joined together because what we are
all experiencing is a significant loss for this institution, for the
people's House, the House of Representatives.
Charlie Johnson has served as an integral part of the legislative
process, and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with
him over the years. We have been the beneficiaries of his intellect,
thoughtfulness, and integrity time and time again. Several years ago,
Charlie noted that his predecessor, William Brown, had set a standard
of ``intellectual vigor, sharing of information, and a sharing of
responsibility with a grace that was accompanied by a total devotion to
the House of Representatives.'' Charlie has more than met that
standard.
He does serve an important role, but it is more than just the role he
serves. He has embodied the person that all of us can look to as one
who will judge the issues with fairness based on the rules, based on
the idea that laws govern not just individuals, and that when he makes
his determination on all of the precedents and the exact wording of the
rules, we know that is the course that we all have to agree to.
I came here from the California State legislature, and I think many
legislatures are like this, the speaker has complete control. The
speaker gets to appoint the Members to the committees and the chairmen,
and assigns the members' offices and staff, and the speaker can make
the rulings, and it is the speaker's authority alone to make the
rulings.
So when I came here, I was surprised to find out that the Speaker
could not just make a decision that benefited those of us on a certain
side of the issue. He had to go to Charlie Johnson to find out what the
rules were, and he had to abide by that decision.
I have come to realize how important that is for an institution to be
able to have someone with such integrity and knowledge that we can look
to to be the final say on what the rules are because we have to follow
the rules in this institution and in a country that looks to the rule
of law as essential.
I have come to recognize that as important, just as I have come over
the years to recognize even the importance of seniority, which I more
and more appreciate the longer I am here.
I want to say that I have not only benefited from Charlie's wisdom
and advice but from his friendship. I have not had the opportunity to
travel with him. Maybe now that Charlie is leaving, we will have to go
on an Elder Hostel trip together because we are advancing in age. He
has been a terrific friend to me, someone I have tremendous respect
for, and it is shared by everyone in this institution. He is certainly
going to be missed.
This is a change that many of us hoped we would not see, not only
with Charlie's absence but a change in his guidance for all of us; and
I join all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, liberals and
conservatives, in supporting this resolution to thank him for a job
well done.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Buffalo, New York (Mr. Quinn), another Member who unfortunately has
chosen to retire at the end of this term.
(Mr. QUINN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues this morning,
mostly in leadership positions, who have come to the floor this
morning, Charlie, to talk about your wisdom and fairness and work
ethnic; and I want to associate myself with their remarks, of course.
But I am one of those dozens of the Speaker pro tempores. Charlie has
made us all look good, both on C-SPAN and back home for our
constituents, and for our colleagues here in the Chamber.
I was in the chair one day and some rule question came up. After I
answered it, my mother called me on the phone and said, ``How did you
know all of those rules so quickly?''
I said, ``It was easy, Charlie Johnson was there.''
She said, ``Who is he?''
I said, ``Well, he is the guy that does the trick. He talks into the
microphone

[[Page H3401]]

so you hear him, but so nobody else hears him, and he explains the
rules.''
Charlie, on behalf of all of the Speaker pro tempores, some with a
little more experience than others, who you have made look good across
the country and in front of our colleagues, I want to thank you for
knowing those rules, for sharing those rules, and for keeping this
place a place of order when we are in the chair trying to keep order.
I guess the trick for you then and your staff is to be heard, but not
to be heard when you do your job best. And I would submit to my
colleagues here in the Chamber that we all can take a lesson from this
gentleman as he leaves us. When we do our business, we should try to be
heard, and maybe not be heard so loud during those times of emotion,
during those times of debate, during those times of political
arguments, to be heard, of course, but to not be heard. And Charlie,
for that service to us as that group of people that chair these
sessions, and on behalf of all our constituents across the country, I
want to say thanks for a job well done. We appreciate it. We will
always remember you.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South
Carolina (Mr. Spratt).
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I have served in the House for more than
half of the 40 years that Charlie Johnson has served as
Parliamentarian. As a matter of fact, I had just become a Member of the
House with no more than 3 weeks of experience when I wandered onto the
floor one day, having mistaken the bells and thought there was about to
be a vote.
Before I could get off the floor and go back about my business,
Charlie beckoned me to the chair; and the next thing I knew I was
wielding the gavel, presiding over the House, never having done that
before in my life. I was never more thankful to have someone who knew
what he was doing sitting behind me whispering instructions, and I have
been thankful ever since that Charlie Johnson was in that position.

{time} 1115

For all those 22 years that I have known him, his chair behind the
Speaker, his office across the hall have been sources of civility in a
House that is often contentious, sometimes bitter and pugnacious and
embattled. For all those years, the Parliamentarian has been an
authority that everyone in this House, both sides of the aisle, have
recognized and respected because his rulings and his advice and his
good judgment have always been based on precedent and on sound
thinking.
His office made him powerful. Anyone who became the Parliamentarian
of the House would be powerful inherently, but his knowledge, his
ability and his manner made him authoritative. The House could not be
the House that the Framers intended us to be, the people's House,
without sometimes passionate, hard-hitting debate; but the House could
not operate in that mode, sometimes pushing the envelope of civility,
without a referee that everybody trusted and respected. For a long,
long time, Charlie has been such a referee.
My respect for Charlie Johnson on our side, the Democratic side of
the aisle, was established over the years and well-founded, but his
great ability, his inherent decent fairness, was recognized to his
credit and theirs when our Republican colleagues moved into the
majority and made him their Parliamentarian, too. He proved his
fairness, his basic inherent fairness, by serving both parties without
ever breaking stride. I do not think anyone in the years that I have
served here has ever accused him of bending with partisan winds.
Charlie Johnson has called them the way he saw them for the last 40
years.
The House of Representatives is losing, we should not fool ourselves,
a huge amount of institutional memory with the loss and retirement of
Charlie Johnson. Four decades in the Parliamentarian's office, 10 years
as Chief Parliamentarian, and during all those 40 years he has embodied
those qualities that we need most in a parliamentarian: erudition and
evenhandedness, great authority and great good humor, too, and overall
a keen understanding of this great institution of the Republic.
He has made the people's House deserve its name. He has helped us
make this complex system that we call democracy work and work well.
Though he is leaving, he leaves behind him a legacy that will inform
the proceedings of this House for a long time to come, and he is
leaving a well-trained staff of Parliamentarians.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The time of the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Frost) has expired.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent, in light of the
fact that we have so many requests to talk about Charlie, that we
extend the debate on this for an additional 5 minutes; and I would like
to yield that 5 minutes to the control of my friend from Dallas, Texas
(Mr. Frost).
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Without objection, there will
be an additional 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 additional seconds to the
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt).
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I remember when John Sullivan was first
appointed and moved from the House Committee on Armed Services. The day
after he took his office as the Deputy Parliamentarian, the staff on
the House Committee on Armed Services concocted a convoluted
parliamentary problem, which I presented to him as an innocent junior
Member of the House, which John was immediately stumped by before he
realized that it was all a hoax. Today, if we presented him that
Gordian knot, I think he could probably cut it.
Charlie, you have taught us not just the procedures of the House and
taught us well, but you have taught us the reasons that those rules
must prevail. That is a legacy that will last for a long, long time. I
think the brooding omnipresence of Charlie Johnson will loom over this
House for a long time to come.
Thank you for everything you have done for us and this great
institution.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry), who often presides very ably
over this institution.
(Mr. THORNBERRY asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, Members come to this Congress with a
policy agenda or a political agenda. We spend our time and effort
trying to make some change we think is good for the country. Yet there
is something bigger and more enduring than any one of us or any one of
our issues. That something is the institution of the House of
Representatives.
I believe that every elected Member has a responsibility to that
institution, but it is the professionals who serve as the officers and
staff of the House that make sure it is preserved and protected. They
serve the House and the Nation day and night through heated debates and
even through long, dull special orders.
Nobody has served this House more faithfully and more nobly than our
Parliamentarian, Charles Johnson. He is smart and insightful as his job
required, but he also has the integrity to be trusted by both sides of
the aisle during heated debate and controversial rulings. He has a
sense of history and, I think, a sense of responsibility for this
institution going back 217 years to the Constitutional Convention on
through today and on through generations to come.
The House has been in good hands during Charlie Johnson's tenure, and
part of his legacy, part of his lasting influence, will be felt through
his successor. I join in expressing sadness at his leaving, but also
admiration and gratitude for his service.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in
paying tribute to and saying a word of thank you to Charles Johnson,
the distinguished Parliamentarian of the House of Representatives.
This is my 18th year of serving in this House, and this Member can
testify to the fact that Charles Johnson has been a fair, hardworking,
committed and dedicated public servant. When new Members were given the
chance to preside over the House, he was always patient and eager to
help Members make it through the process.

[[Page H3402]]

The House is a better House, and the country is a better country
because of Charles Johnson.
It is my belief that when historians pick up their pens and write the
history of this House during the latter part of the 20th century and
the beginning of the 21st century, they will have to write that a man
called Charles Johnson made a lasting contribution to maintaining order
and peace in this House.
But he did more than maintain order and peace with his talents,
skills and ability. He helped guide this House through some of the most
important and sometimes bitter debates and discussions. Charles Johnson
has helped guide this House through the discussion and debate on voting
rights, civil rights, Medicare, the Higher Education Act, war and
peace.
I want to join my colleagues to thank Charles Johnson for all of his
good work and for his contribution toward the strengthening of our
democracy. Charles Johnson, Mr. Parliamentarian, we wish you well in
the days and years to come.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
(Mr. LaTOURETTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, when we are all here on the floor, there
are often calls for regular order. The fellow who has kept regular
order has been Charlie Johnson during my 10 years.
A lot of platitudes have been spoken and they are all well deserved.
I want to extend my voice in saying thanks for giving me the guidance
when I have had the honor of presiding over the House from time to
time.
I do want to tell just one quick story in the minute that I have been
given because the majority leader made sort of a joke about the 3-hour
vote on prescription drugs and some Members in the House, when they
scream regular order, because we are all busy, we do not take time to
read the rules, do not know that the votes are a minimum of 15 minutes
and not a maximum of 15 minutes.
But I can recall during a rather contentious vote the Republicans
were up 206-204 and time had expired. A rather excited Member from the
West Coast, California, came running up, it was not the gentleman from
California (Mr. Dreier), and said, ``You've got to close this thing
down. We have to win this vote. You need to shut it down.''
We looked and saw that earlier in the day 420 Members had voted, we
were about 10 Members short; it was late in the evening, everybody was
out having dinner, coming back; it was raining in the Capital. Charlie
Johnson then said, ``When you're in the minority, you understand that
you're not going to win a lot of votes here, and when you're in the
majority you can and probably should win most votes, but what you can't
do when you're in the majority is steal a vote. We need to keep this
vote open to make sure that those 10 Members who voted just a half an
hour ago have the opportunity to be here and cast their ballots.''
We wound up winning and the Member on that occasion who was excited
came up later and apologized for screaming. Charlie Johnson has been
fair, fair to the Republicans, fair to the Democrats, and I shall miss
him very much.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Cardin).
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I take this time to say thank you to Charlie
Johnson for his public service. He has never been elected as a Member
of this body, but he has had as much influence as anyone who has ever
been elected to this House in preserving the traditions of this great
democratic institution, and I thank him for that. His contributions go
well beyond the 40 years of service because what he has done in his
service will be a lasting tradition in this body and will serve future
generations.
He cannot duck a single tough issue, but he has ruled every time on
the basis of sound precedent without partisan considerations. He is a
person of the highest integrity, an encyclopedic mind, a person who is
totally committed to our country and this legislative body.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to take this 1 minute as one Member of
this body to thank Charlie Johnson for what he has done to make this
great institution a better place for the future.
I thank you, I thank you for your friendship, and I thank you for
your commitment.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my
good friend, the gentleman from Atlanta, Georgia (Mr. Isakson).
Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. Speaker, I, first of all, associate myself with all
the kind remarks that have been made about Charlie, but I thought back
to my first day here. I was elected on a special election, came in, I
knew no one, and it was a hustle and bustle. Charlie Johnson was the
guy who got me through that in what was a blur to me.
Secondly, I am reminded of how great this institution is, and I am
reminded of three silent factors the public never sees. First is the
sconce of Moses that looks down upon the Speaker as an inanimate
object, but as a constant reminder of the integrity we all need. Second
is our Founding Father, George Washington, whose portrait hangs on this
side of our Capitol to remind us of where we come from.
The third silent but very present, day in and day out, person that
guides the integrity of this most important institution is the quiet
but effective leadership of Charlie Johnson. This institution has been
blessed to have leaders of great capability from elected office, but
from that seat next to the Speaker, we have been blessed to have a man
who has the excellent commitment to fairness, integrity, responsibility
and the preservation of this Republic, and that is Charlie Johnson.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. McNulty).
Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker I am honored to stand here today and
associate myself with the remarks of Speaker Hastert and Leader Pelosi
and all of the other Members in thanking Charlie Johnson for his 40
years of outstanding service to the House of Representatives and to the
country.
When I first came to the Congress in the 1980s, I served on a regular
basis as one of the Speaker pro tems. At that time I knew very little
about parliamentary procedure and almost nothing about the House rules.
I thank Charlie and my friend the late Bill Brown and John and Tom and
Muftia and Gay and all of the others who helped through the years to
educate me about the House rules and to have that wonderful experience
which, incidentally, I hope I have again someday.
Charlie, I would sum it up this way: You are the very definition of
outstanding public service. I wish you good health and happiness for
many, many years to come.

General Leave

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, we have many, many Members who want to have
an opportunity to be heard on this and so, at this moment, I am going
to ask unanimous consent that general leave be provided so that all
Members may include statements in the Record upon Charlie Johnson's
retirement.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my friend from
Texas (Mr. Frost) be given an additional 1\1/2\ minutes for debate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to my very,
very good friend, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson).
Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Charlie, we are certainly going to miss you. Sometimes that does not
seem like enough, but all of the Members of the House and the fellow
staff members here in the House are certainly going to miss you.
Sometimes simple words are the best.
Parliamentary procedure, as has been stated here, the Rules of the
House equally and uniformly applied to all, are what make this
emotional and sometimes polarized place work. Charlie and I have
sometimes disagreed about the interpretation of those rules and we have
debated it a little bit.

[[Page H3403]]

Yielding to the superior wisdom of Charlie, I found out that you can
end debate with a nondebatable motion here in the House, but if we were
back in Idaho, you could not do that. We have had some very interesting
debates.
I always found, when I practiced dentistry, that when I was hiring a
new chairside assistant, it was sometimes often easier to hire somebody
that had no experience because then you did not have to untrain them
before you retrained them. Sometimes I think Charlie's toughest job
here is to take some of us who have been presiding officers in State
legislatures and untrain us of the rules that we learned in our State
legislatures before he retrained us about the Rules of the House.
I know that you have done a fantastic job. We have all enjoyed
working with you. Sometimes the measure of an individual's performance
is what those around him think about the job that he has done. As I
have talked to other staff members here, I can tell you one of the
things that was said yesterday, someone said, ``If I had to think of
one word to describe Charlie, it would be `integrity.''' That is not a
bad legacy to leave.
Thank you, Charlie. We are going to miss you.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
(Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PASCRELL. Charlie, you have served your country and you have
served this wonderful House. At a time when we have lost something in
terms of ritual and ceremony, you have always brought us back to
reality.

{time} 1130

Thomas Jefferson, I am sure, would be very proud of you. Our laws and
our rules are based upon what he wrote.
We were brought together 8 years ago when I came into this House by a
mutual friend. It was the right move. The first person I met on this
floor was Charlie Johnson.
And I know you have wished well your successor. I know he will do
well. I know John will do very well. This is a great institution,
Charlie, and we will never forget how you served your country.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, we have talked about the contribution
that our friend Charlie Johnson has made to the rules of the House, and
that he has provided the context to understand the rules. But I think
the thing that I have come to appreciate is the human face that he puts
on it. It is the dimension provided by the outstanding men and women
who make this place work behind the scenes, that we all come to
appreciate.
Charlie, you epitomize those people; and ultimately it is that human
face that is going to provide the strength to make sure that the House
follows through on the path that you have charted so ably in the past
40 years. We greatly appreciate your contributions.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Peoria, Illinois (Mr. LaHood), who, as has been pointed out, time and
time again so ably presides over this institution as Speaker pro
tempore.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I think people watching this would find it
kind of odd that I would have to step down off the podium in order to
speak, but Charlie would never allow me to speak from up there because
it is not according to the rules of the House.
And I think people would find it odd that Charlie cannot speak today.
Charlie has spoken many, many times on this floor through those of us
who have had the great opportunity and privilege to serve as Speaker
pro tempore. But it is not according to the rules. And if it is not
according to the rules, it does not happen. And if it is not according
to the rules by Charlie Johnson, it does not happen.
I was quoted in CQ as saying that Charlie runs the House, and I hope
our leadership does not take offense at that; but Charlie really has
run the House for many years, and thank goodness for that.
I think many people do not realize that in 1994 not one of us in the
majority presided. When we were sworn in in 1995, not one of us in the
majority had ever presided over the House. And if it were not for the
magnificent work of Charlie and his entire staff, think of the chaos
that could be created when we turn over an entire House to a new
majority of people who obviously maybe know a little bit about the
rules but not much. And if it were not for the great work of Charlie
and all of his people, think of the kind of chaos.
And we were dealing with some really important issues here. I know
you do not like to hear about the Contract with America, but that was
the agenda for 3 months, and that was major legislation. And we could
not have done it, and those of us who had the privilege early on of
presiding could have never done it. It would not have been possible for
us if we had not really paid attention to Charlie Johnson and the
people that work in his office, and they really are the ones that allow
us to do the things that we were able to do throughout the 10 years
that we have been in the majority.
When people say to me, How did you get so good at presiding? It is a
very simple answer. I listened to Charlie Johnson. That is the answer.
And when one listens to Charlie, they get good advice.
I want to say one word about these jobs that we have: we could not do
without the kind of spouses that allow us to do them, and I want to say
a word about Martha. Martha is here.
And, Martha, I want to say to you, thank you for giving us this
extraordinary human being who has given us so much. We are in your debt
for the kind of, I think, tolerance that you have lent to the job that
Charlie has done, the long nights, the late nights, and the good work.
Charlie, job well done. God speed.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Baird).
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on the night of September 11, I began to
think about what might happen if this institution were to perish in an
attack, and I asked, who should we talk to to learn the answer to that
question? And the answer to that was Charlie Johnson.
Charlie, I want to thank you and your entire staff for your help on
that issue but, more importantly, for how you help us every single day.
People around the country see us disagree and bicker all the time
here, and they say is there not anything you people can agree on?
Today, my friends, we have agreed on something. We have agreed to honor
this magnificent individual, his service to our country and the
principle of the rules that keep our democracy, our Republic, and this
great body functioning.
I thank you, Charlie, and I thank my colleagues for their great words
today. God speed, Charlie.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Charlie, they say that politics is a sea of conflict. If that is
true, then you have been the steady hand that has guided this ship of
state, our democratic process, through so many years of calm and
troubled waters. You will be missed. We have appreciated your service.
You are the epitome of what public service is all about.
And, as I encouraged Terry just before his retirement, and I have
enjoyed the conversations that we have had in regards to the tradition
and the history and the culture of this place, I encourage you to
record your memories and maybe put it in book form to share with the
rest of the world because in so many ways, you are also the repository
of a lot of the knowledge and memories that are embodied in this place.
So we all wish you well today. We wish you Godspeed and may you have
a very long and happy and healthy retirement. Thank you.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Linder), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology
and the House of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, when the Republican transition occurred in
December of 1994, I was charged with the responsibility of interviewing
people and finding hires for the top five positions in the House, and
one of those was Parliamentarian. I frankly came at it with some
suspicion. If someone

[[Page H3404]]

could be working so long for the other party in control, could that
person be fair? And he convinced me over two meetings that his job was
not to be fair or unfair, but to know the rules. He has proven that he
does, with an even hand; and I join all my colleagues in thanking him
in his service to his country.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to close again by expressing appreciation on behalf of
all of the many staff members here in this institution who work so
closely with Charlie Johnson, all of those who are working for us here
today and the members of committee staffs and personal staffs who have
worked so closely with him.
And I would like to close by sharing with our colleagues a note that
was handed to me a few minutes ago. It says: ``Dear Charlie, thanks for
your 40 years of service to the House and our country. I wish you all
the best. Keep your arm loose. We may need to call you in from the
bullpen.'' This is a handwritten note from the President of the United
States, George W. Bush, which I will give to you, Charlie, as soon as
we have the resolution.
Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today
to congratulate Parliamentarian Charles Johnson on four decades of
service to the U.S. House of Representatives, and to wish him the very
best for a well-earned retirement.
As all Members are aware, the job of House Parliamentarian is an
exceedingly difficult one. One must have a scholarly grasp of the rules
governing this institution, the integrity to be an honest and fair
judge, and an ability to work with both sides of the aisle in
contentious moments. Throughout my twenty-five years of service in the
House, I have seen Charlie exhibit these qualities with the highest
distinction.
Charlie began his service in the Parliamentarian's office in 1964,
shortly after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law.
In 1994, he was appointed Parliamentarian by a Democratic Speaker, Tom
Foley. In a testament to his character, he was then reappointed by two
Republican Speakers, Newt Gingrich and Dennis Hastert. All Members of
this body have relied on Charlie's keen intellect and sound judgment,
day in and day out. He has served with the greatest integrity and will
be missed. However, all Members welcome his respected successor John
Sullivan, who Charlie has mentored.
Fittingly, Charlie will continue to serve our country in other ways
when he retires from this institution. In collaboration with the
Parliamentarian of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, he plans
to produce a book on parliamentary procedure that will be a welcome
addition to the field. In addition, after an activity that is dear to
my heart, he will lend his talents to the San Francisco Giants as a
batting practice pitcher.
I want to thank Charlie for his wisdom, his commitment to being a
nonpartisan advisor, and above all his forty years of service to the
United States House of Representatives. We thank him for sharing his
life with us these many years, and wish him the very best in his
endeavors to come.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, as many have already stated, and as many
more Members are eager to express, Charlie Johnson's departure will be
a loss to this great institution we serve, and which Charlie has served
so well for 22 years.
I am actually one of the few Members of the House who can say I was
already here before Charlie was, although he arrived here within only a
couple of short years after I did. Since that time, we've had the
opportunity to grow older together.
Throughout his tenure, Charlie has been a wise counselor, a trusted
confidant, and an impartial adjudicator who has served both parties
without pride or prejudice.
For those who don't readily grasp the significance of the role of
Parliamentarian, it is the Parliamentarian who makes sure that we can
continue to conduct the House's business every hour of every day.
Those visiting, or watching at home on C-SPAN, may understand the
importance of the House Parliamentarian as Members come and go from the
Speaker's Chair. When they see Members in the Chair making procedural
decisions, they also see the Parlimentarian's staff providing helpful
advice on a timely basis.
For those of us who serve in the House, the Parliamentarian is an
absolute lifeline. He's also the occasional judge, father confessor,
and calm in the storm of the House floor as Members and parties seek to
advance their own interests.
Although it seems that we increasingly can't find ourselves in
agreement on many things, too many things for that matter, one thing
that is beyond dispute is that Charlie has embodied the ideal of the
civil servant who tirelessly has served the interests of the American
people.
I, like so many others, am proud to have served with him.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with both gratitude and sadness
that I rise to honor the Parliamentarian of the House, Charles W.
Johnson, on his upcoming retirement. Charlie has long served the House,
and he has done so with distinction, integrity, and honor. He has
embodied the nonpartisan traditions that make the Parliamentarian's
Office one of the most respected institutions in this House.
Through our constant debating of matters large and small, Charlie has
remained a calm head guiding us through our differences with a quiet
grace. His abiding love for the institution and his knowledge of the
rules are unparalleled. He will be greatly missed. I deeply appreciate
his service and wish him well. As he passes into retirement, we all bid
a fond farewell to an unsung hero who kept the great wheels of this
democracy turning.
Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution,
and to thank Mr. Charles Johnson, the Parliamentarian, for his service
to this institution and its members. Those of us who have the privilege
to serve as committee chairmen know first hand the good work done by
Charlie and his team of professionals. In many ways, the
Parliamentarian and his deputies are the grease which makes our
legislative machine work a little more smoothly.
Charlie's dedication to this institution spans his 40-year career.
Beginning his career fresh out of the University of Virginia law school
in 1963, he guided members of both parties through the shoals of the
legislative process. Charlie was particularly helpful to those of us
who were newly elected committee and subcommittee chairmen in 1995 and
beyond. His advice and counsel have served us all well as we learned
the sometimes difficult lessons of legislating in the 21st century.
As anyone who knows Charlie knows, his only greater love than this
institution is his love of baseball. As he begins his retirement after
40 years of crouching behind home plate, we all hope he enjoys watching
the rest of the game from the stands.
Mr. Speaker, I wish Mr. Johnson well in his retirement, and extend my
heartfelt thanks for his service.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I
move the previous question on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

____________________