Last week America lost a true hero when retired Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL) passed away. Hyde was an unquestioned icon in the conservative movement. We reached out to Congressman John Doolittle, who served with Hyde, to ask him to share his thoughts on Hyde’s passing…
Henry Hyde: A Giant Who Will Long Be Remembered
By Congressman John T. Doolittle
To know Henry Hyde was to know that you were in the presence of a special human being. He was a man with presence. He had confidence and the intellect to make a difference with his public service.
In 1998, he was Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee when the House of Representatives impeached President Clinton for lying under oath. To Henry Hyde integrity still meant something. Other chairmen may have turned a blind eye toward the difficult circumstances surrounding our former President’s actions. Henry did not, and I do think our nation is better for it. Henry was a throw-back to a time when our popular culture celebrated integrity. At times, it seems today we glorify the opposite.
In 1976, Henry began blocking federal spending on abortion services by government agencies. For decades his carefully drafted legislative language has protected the rights of countless unborn and continues to do so today as well. For Henry, a Catholic, his religious values could not be divorced from his political decisions. He was a conservative. He was a crusader for those who could not protect themselves.
Throughout his career Henry Hyde had grace, the kind you rarely see. He was calm and kind under pressure. His measured responses to hostile rhetoric were always rewarding to witness. His thoughtful and grandfatherly responses were articulate and as consistent as a slow metronome. His obvious care in crafting rhetoric spoke volumes and afforded him respect from friends and foes. Sometimes Henry didn’t even need words to communicate. He truly was a giant among men, and his example of selfless, effective legislative service will shine in the halls of Congress long into the future.
U.S. Rep. John T. Doolittle has served in the House of Representatives since 1991. The 4th Congressional District stretches from the eastern Sacramento Region to Lake Tahoe on the south and runs up the Sierra Nevada range to the high desert of Modoc County on the Oregon border in the north.