[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Hon. Thomas S. Foley
1929 -2013
Thomas S. Foley
LATE A SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
AND A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASHINGTON
MEMORIAL ADDRESSES AND
OTHER TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Memorial Addresses and
Other Tributes
HELD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND SENATE
OF THE UNITED STATES
TOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL SERVICES
IN HONOR OF
THOMAS S. FOLEY
Late a Speaker of the House
and a
Representative from Washington
One Hundred Thirteenth Congress
First Session
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2014
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
Tributes by Representatives:
Boehner, John A., of Ohio......................
7
Gohmert, Louie, of Texas.......................
4
Hoyer, Steny H., of Maryland...................
6
Jackson Lee, Sheila, of Texas..................
4
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy, of Washington.........
3
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
9
Memorial Services.....................................
11
Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church...
37
St. Aloysius Church................................
45
Statuary Hall......................................
11
BIOGRAPHY
Thomas S. Foley, first elected in 1964, represented the
Fifth District of Washington State for 30 years. Born on
March 6, 1929, in Spokane, WA, the son of Judge Ralph and
Helen Foley, he grew up in an atmosphere rich with
politics (his father was an elected state superior court
judge for a record 35 years) that included dinner
conversations with then-Senator Henry M. (Scoop) Jackson.
Certainly, his father Ralph was an enormous influence on
Mr. Foley and inspired the evenhandedness and judicial
nature that marked his long career in Congress.
Following the wishes of his father, a respected judge
and former prosecutor, Mr. Foley graduated from Gonzaga
Prep and attended Spokane's Gonzaga University. After
several years at GU, he transferred to the University of
Washington from which he received a bachelor of arts
degree and moved on to graduate from UW's law school in
1957.
After completing law school, he returned to Spokane,
practiced law, and then joined the Spokane County
Prosecutor's Office. About that time of his life, he said
``I had more power as a prosecutor than at any other
period in my life.'' Mr. Foley also taught constitutional
law at Gonzaga University Law School in Spokane. It gave
him a basis for understanding the provisions of the
Constitution and the reasons for each provision.
In 1960 he joined the State of Washington Attorney
General's Office.
In 1961 in a major career change he moved to Washington,
DC, to become a special counsel to Senator Jackson, a
rising political and institutional power in the Senate and
chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs.
In 1964 Senator Jackson recruited four young political
aspirants to run for the House in Washington State. It was
a national landslide year for Democrats. All of Senator
Jackson's choices won; Tom Foley's narrow victory over a
22-year incumbent was by far the most surprising.
Mr. Foley's career in public service was influenced by
his father's traits of courtesy, patience, and a sense of
public responsibility. But in 1965 little did anyone know
that the urbane 64" young lawyer from Spokane would
emerge as a leading voice of congressional reform and a
champion of the integrity of the U.S. Constitution. His
rise up the ladder in what was a very tradition-laden
House was aided by his uncommon ability to forge a
following from southern conservatives, westerners, and
urban liberals.
Contrary to the public perceptions about politicians,
Tom Foley was always a kind man who never spoke badly
about anyone either publicly or privately. He was almost
saintly in this respect, as though he had taken a vow to
always see the positive in people. He thought more was to
be gained in both life and politics by listening and
respecting differences.
Assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture when he
was sworn in as a Congressman, and becoming its chairman
in 1975, Mr. Foley took a strong interest in the problems
of hunger across the United States. The Committee on
Agriculture was and remained for years a political bastion
of southern and rural conservatives whose main interests
were crops and livestock.
In the late 1960s, when medical teams reported
widespread hunger and malnutrition in very poor parts of
the country, especially among children, Mr. Foley led
House efforts to expand and improve the then-very-small
food stamp and nutrition programs, greatly expanding and
spreading them nationwide. He built bipartisan House
support for these reforms and worked with Senators Robert
Dole and George McGovern to pass a battery of measures in
the 1970s that transformed food stamps.
In the late 1970s medical teams returned to very poor
areas of the country and reported dramatic reductions in
hunger and the near-elimination of childhood diseases
caused by malnutrition. They credited the reforms Mr.
Foley and his Senate allies had engineered as the pivotal
factor behind the improvements.
``He was a giant,'' noted Robert Greenstein, president
of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who headed
the food stamp program in the Carter administration and
worked closely with Mr. Foley.
He combined intense knowledge of the program and ways to
strengthen it with a keen sense of political strategy. In
addition, he was deeply respected by both sides of the
aisle in a way that was unusual then and is even more
unusual today. He drew on all of these skills to craft and
pass legislation that has helped tens of millions of low-
income Americans.
Despite representing a giant wheat producing district in
a politically conservative stretch of America, Tom Foley
became a champion of civil liberties and respect for the
Constitution. He engineered the defeat of an anti-flag
burning constitutional amendment and worked to prevent
other amendments he thought harmful to the Constitution
such as prayer in the public schools and term limits for
Members of Congress. Tom Foley believed the Constitution
was very clear in its intent and that voters had an
opportunity every 2 years to limit the term of any
incumbent of the House or Senate running for reelection.
Although his views were validated by the Supreme Court
(U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton), the fact that he
publicly became involved in a lawsuit to declare the State
of Washington's term limits unconstitutional was
politically unpopular at home. His willingness to take
political risks on a point of constitutional principle
came to play a role in his defeat for reelection in 1994.
Mr. Foley's prominence in the leading internal reform
organization of the House, the Democratic Study Group, did
not prevent Majority Leader Jim Wright from naming him
majority whip, third in command of the House majority. Mr.
Foley was a continuation of a remarkable run of Irish
Americans in the leadership of the House. Like Tip
O'Neill, he was a large and formidable figure with a
bottomless well of humorous stories that served to break
political tensions and bring people to negotiations that
helped move the institution forward. It was at this time
that Mr. Foley had a chance to display his remarkable
skills in foreign affairs. He became Mr. O'Neill's point
man on the contentious issues of Northern Ireland and in
bringing about a bipartisan show of support for the Reagan
administration's invasion of Grenada.
Foreign policy issues, whether about the policy or the
process, increasingly drew Mr. Foley's attention. He was a
prominent figure in the anti-Contra furor in the House and
opposed the first Iraq war. Ireland was also never far
from his mind, and he was inspired by the political
bravery of John Hume, later a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Mr. Foley steadily worked for peace and reconciliation in
Northern Ireland throughout his speakership.
His interest in foreign affairs was never far from the
surface and ultimately resulted in his being the only
Member of the House who was awarded the highest honors
from the most important U.S. allies: Great Britain made
him a Commander of the British Empire; Germany gave him
its Order of Merit; France conveyed membership in the
Legion of Honor; and Japan awarded him the Order of the
Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, Grand Cordon.
House leaders and Members increasingly respected the
political skills of their whip and former caucus chair. He
became a fixture at Democratic conventions, serving as
parliamentarian until he himself became chairman of the
convention in 1992 when Bill Clinton was nominated for his
first term.
Ever faithful to a major wheat producing constituency,
Mr. Foley was an unusual Democrat because he was a steady
supporter of trade liberalization and became essential in
ensuring significant Democratic support for trade bills
that might otherwise have been defeated. He will be most
remembered in this respect for moving the North America
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through a contentious
Congress.
Tom Foley seemed to move naturally to issues revolving
around the budget. In 1987, after being elected majority
leader, he became a member of the House Budget Committee.
Beginning with the Black Friday stock market crash during
the Reagan administration, Mr. Foley was present in every
negotiation designed to avoid the prolonged standoff that
now exists. He became closely involved with these issues
initially when he led the House negotiators in responding
to the issues associated with the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings
Act and ultimately obtaining an agreement on that
complicated and controversial proposal.
In 1987 Tom Foley chaired the negotiations between the
Congress and the Reagan administration to respond to the
Black Friday stock market crash. Working with then-
Secretary of the Treasury James A. Baker III and others,
that group under Tom Foley's leadership came to a
consensus that eased the markets and helped strengthen the
economy.
Mr. Foley was an active participant in the 1990 budget
summit negotiations on Capitol Hill. At Andrews Air Force
Base it was his leadership that brought the eight leaders
together to work out the final agreement that the Congress
subsequently passed.
Mr. Foley led the House of Representatives during the
first 2 years of President Bill Clinton's first term. The
1993 economic plan approved under his leadership arguably
was important in enhancing the country's economy and
moving toward a balanced budget.
Like Mr. O'Neill, Tom Foley believed that the perfect
should not get in the way of the achievable. He was part
of the political generation influenced by the Presidency
of Lyndon Johnson and the view that half of something was
better than none. There was always another day and another
Congress to move forward and get the other half done.
A man not prone to public anger, he reserved his
passions for things he thought essential to the
continuation of a just and prosperous nation. Hunger in
all its forms, oppression through government rules, and
tinkering with the Constitution to satisfy temporary
political uproar went against the grain. He was a man who
could bring a world's fair to Spokane (Expo 74), which
attracted 5.2 million visitors; promote a huge third power
house to Grand Coulee Dam (at that time Grand Coulee
became the largest hydrodam in the United States); and
successfully fight the FDA and the movie industry on
issues important to the common man.
Mr. Foley never deviated from the idea that you fought
for people who went to work every day and kept faith in a
just nation, just as his grandfather did in the Spokane
rail boiler shops at the turn of the previous century.
Tom Foley's views on the responsibility of a House
Member never changed. After his defeat in 1994, he noted:
I've taken positions that I think were damaging in a
political sense, but I don't have any regrets taking them.
I used to say that the most important thing about votes on
the floor and positions you take in Congress is that when
you consider them at election time you're able to say with
some satisfaction that you can still vote for yourself.
Mr. Foley's 30 years in office involved 15 campaigns for
election. Some he won by large margins and others were
uncomfortably close. After surviving the Reagan landslide
of 1980, he did not retreat to the insular politics of
staying close to home. Rather, he took on more political
risk. Upon becoming the majority whip he had to give up
his Agriculture Committee chairmanship and use his
legislative skills to help lead the national Democratic
Party and support the policy agenda of the Clinton
Presidency, which he did faithfully. But, unlike the 1980
election he could not hold onto an increasingly
conservative and Republican district. As the Democrats
lost the majority in the House in 1994 so too did he
closely lose his seat as the Representative from the Fifth
District of Washington State.
Mr. Foley saw the future, not in lobbying, but in trying
to stay involved in broad policy questions and foreign
affairs. He became a counsel to the prominent Washington
law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and chairman of
President Clinton's Intelligence Advisory Board. In 1997
President Clinton named Tom Foley as the U.S. Ambassador
to Japan.
Mr. Foley knew Japan well, having traveled there every
year he served in Congress, becoming close to Japanese
leaders, politicians, academics, and businessmen. He was
particularly fascinated by the courtesies inherent in
Japanese culture and developed a deep respect for the
country's traditions and customs. Accordingly, he was
widely respected by the Japanese public and in 2001 the
new administration of President Bush asked him to stay on
to handle the public affairs disaster that occurred when a
U.S. submarine accidentally sank the Ehime Maru, a
Japanese fishery high school training ship in Honolulu's
harbor.
Tom Foley left Tokyo in March 2001, returned to Akin
Gump, and became North American chairman of the Trilateral
Commission of which he had a been a longtime member.
Illness forced him to leave both positions in 2008.
He is survived by his wife, the former Heather Strachan,
to whom he was married on December 19, 1968, and his
sister Maureen Latimer, her husband Richard Latimer of
Santa Rosa, CA, and their children Elizabeth Ann Garbocci
of Ukiah, CA; Kathleen Ely of Martinez, CA; Carolyn
Latimer of Santa Rosa, CA; John Latimer of Elk Grove, CA;
and Mark Latimer of Petaluma, CA.
?
MEMORIAL ADDRESSES
AND
OTHER TRIBUTES
FOR
THOMAS S. FOLEY
Proceedings in the House of Representatives
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
PRAYER
The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered
the following prayer:
Almighty God, we give You thanks for giving us another
day.
As the People's House returns, we give You thanks for
those most responsible for the resolutions reached this
past week and for the reopening of government, which has
meant so much to the families of those who have chosen to
serve their Nation by their work in government.
As all return, the Capitol is in mourning for the loss
of two men of the House, former Speaker Tom Foley and
Representative Bill Young. Both men, a Democrat and a
Republican, were known to be giants in the People's House,
and their passing has deprived our Nation of experience
and wisdom in Congress at a time when it is needed.
Bless all the Members with wisdom in good measure--
pressed down, shaken together, and running over--that the
legacy of these great legislators might be carried on for
the benefit of all.
May all that is done here in the People's House be for
Your greater honor and glory.
Amen.
Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged
resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 383
In the House of Representatives, U.S., October 22, 2013:
Resolved, That the House has learned with profound
sorrow of the death of the Honorable Thomas S. Foley,
former Member of the House for 15 terms and Speaker of the
House of Representatives for the One Hundred First, One
Hundred Second and One Hundred Third Congresses.
Resolved, That in the death of the Honorable Thomas S.
Foley the United States and the State of Washington have
lost a valued and eminent public servant and citizen.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions
to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of
the deceased.
Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn
as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now
adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and
31 minutes p.m.), under its previous order and pursuant to
House Resolution 383 and House Resolution 384, the House
adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at
10 a.m., for morning-hour debate, as a further mark of
respect to the memory of the late Honorable Thomas S.
Foley and the late Honorable C.W. Bill Young.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to
former House Speaker Thomas ``Tom'' S. Foley, the 57th
Speaker of the House of Representatives and a man whose
love for this Chamber and whose commitment to public
service was unsurpassed. Speaker Foley died Friday,
October 18, at his home in Washington, DC. He was 84 years
old.
Tom Foley was in every sense of the word a gentleman. He
believed in bipartisanship. He treated everyone equally
and with respect. Upon relinquishing the speakership, he
left these parting words of advice to his successor,
incoming Speaker Newt Gingrich: ``Remember, you are the
Speaker of the whole House and not just one party.''
The environment of the House of Representatives under
the leadership of Speaker Foley was marked by mutual
respect and cooperation, which enabled the Congress to
work with the President and pass legislation that made our
country better.
During Tom Foley's speakership the Congress passed, and
the President signed into law, the Family and Medical
Leave Act; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991;
the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); the
General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT); the 1994
crime bill which put 100,000 new police officers on the
streets, banned assault weapons, and reduced crime rates
by more than a third; and the 1993 Clinton economic plan
that led to the creation of 22 million jobs, 4 balanced
budgets, and the longest period of sustained economic
prosperity in the post-war period.
Thomas Stephen Foley was born March 6, 1929, in Spokane,
WA. He attended a Jesuit preparatory school where he
acquired the nickname ``the senator'' for his intellect
and the way he solved problems. He is reported to have
overcome a lisp to excel in debate and to earn his
baccalaureate degree from the University of Washington in
1951. Six years later, Tom Foley was admitted to the bar
after graduating from the University of Washington School
of Law. He practiced law in Spokane prior to becoming a
prosecutor and later an assistant State attorney general.
In 1960 he joined the staff of his mentor, the legendary
Senator Henry ``Scoop'' Jackson (D-WA), and moved to
Washington, DC, where he met his future partner in life,
his beloved Heather, whom he married in 1968, and who
remained by his side for the next 45 years and was with
him when he died.
Mr. Speaker, in 1964 Tom Foley defeated an 11-term
incumbent and was elected by the people of the Fifth
Congressional District of Washington to represent them in
the House of Representatives. He was reelected to the next
succeeding 14 Congresses.
Over those 30 years, Tom Foley compiled a truly
impressive record. He sought and obtained a seat on the
Agriculture Committee to advocate on behalf of his
constituents in the wheat growing region of Eastern
Washington.
Tom Foley was an accomplished legislator. One of his
major achievements as a member of the Agriculture
Committee was the grand bargain he crafted which led to
the enduring partnership between conservative farmers and
progressive supporters of nutrition programs.
Mr. Speaker, Tom Foley was an unwavering advocate for
progressive policies and a formidable opponent of policies
he believed were harmful to the interests of the poor,
workers, or women. He supported President Johnson's Great
Society Programs and voted for the Civil Rights Act of
1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing
Act of 1968. He also supported a strong national defense
and sensible foreign policy, which is why he opposed the
escalation of the Vietnam war.
After the watershed election of 1974, he was elected by
his colleagues to chair the Agriculture Committee, a
position he held until 1981, when he was appointed
majority whip by then-Speaker Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill.
When Speaker O'Neill was succeeded by Majority Leader Jim
Wright (D-TX), Tom Foley was elevated to the post of
majority leader and served in that post until June 6,
1989, when he was elected Speaker of the House upon the
resignation of Speaker Wright.
Tom Foley was Speaker of the House in 1991 when
President George H.W. Bush launched Operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm, the first Persian Gulf war.
Thanks in large part to the spirit of bipartisanship that
Tom Foley embodied, the Nation remained unified throughout
the Persian Gulf war.
Following Speaker Foley's service in the House of
Representatives, he served with distinction as U.S.
Ambassador to Japan during the second Clinton
administration. In recognition of his exceptional service
to our country, in 2001 the Federal courthouse in Spokane,
WA, was renamed the Thomas S. Foley United States
Courthouse.
Today, one of the things cited most as being what is
wrong with Congress is the environment of
hyperpartisanship which is threatening the ability of the
House to fulfill its function.
It is my hope that we all remember and learn from the
example of Speaker Foley that civility is a virtue, that
compromise is not weakness, and that it is possible for
persons of good will to disagree without being
disagreeable.
Thank you, Speaker Thomas S. Foley, for your service to
our Nation. You made the People's House a better place by
promoting mutual respect and cooperation.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Mr. HOYER. . . . Yesterday, many of us had the
opportunity to participate in a memorial service for Tom
Foley. Tom Foley was the Speaker of this House.
A gentleman spoke who is, I think, one of the most
revered Members who has served in this body, Robert
Michel. Bob Michel was Tom Foley's friend. Bob Michel was
the leader of the Republican side of the aisle. They were
friends, colleagues, and cooperated with one another to
the benefit of this institution and its Members, and the
dean of the House adds, correctly, to the benefit of our
country and all its citizens.
Bob Michel observed the civility that each one of them
displayed and the willingness to reach out across the
aisle and to make things happen positively for our country
and for our citizens. . . .
How sad it is that these giants, Tom Foley, Bill Young,
Ike Skelton, and, yes, Major Owens, passed from this body,
passed from this life, but how joyful it is to see the
extraordinary contributions each of them made to this
House, which we should revere and love, the People's
House. . . .
Monday, November 18, 2013
Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Thomas S. Foley,
former Speaker of the House of Representatives, died on
October 18, 2013. The House took several steps to honor
the former Speaker. Following House tradition, the
Speaker's chair on the rostrum was draped in black and the
Speaker's gavel rested on a black pillow. Outside the
House Chamber, Speaker Foley's official portrait in the
Speaker's Lobby was draped in black. On October 22, 2013,
the House adopted House Resolution 383, expressing the
condolences of the House upon his death. On October 29,
2013, a memorial service was held in Statuary Hall
celebrating the life of Speaker Foley. The following is a
transcript of those proceedings:
[The transcript may be found on page 15.]
Proceedings in the Senate
Monday, October 28, 2013
Mr. REID. . . . We are going to have a celebration here
tomorrow on the life of Tom Foley. I had the good fortune
of serving with him in the House. He came from a real
conservative district in the State of Washington. He
served for many years. He was the majority leader, he was
the Speaker, and a fine man. . . .
A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF
THE HONORABLE
Thomas S. Foley
Fifth District of Washington
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
MARCH 6, 1929-OCTOBER 18, 2013
Statuary Hall
United States Capitol
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
3:00 p.m.
``In a cynical age, I still believe that we must summon
people to a vision of public service . . . for, in the
end, this ethic determines more than anything else whether
we will have citizens and leaders of honor, judgment,
wisdom, and heart.''
--The Honorable Thomas S. Foley
Order of Service
Prelude
...................... United States Air Force Band String Quartet
Presentation of the Colors
...................... United States Capitol Police Ceremonial Unit
National Anthem
...................... TSgt Emily Wellington, United States Air Force Band Soloist
Welcome
...................... The Honorable John A. Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Invocation
...................... The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
Tributes
...................... The Honorable Norman Dicks, United States House of Representatives, Sixth District of Washington
(1977-2013)
...................... The Honorable Jim McDermott, United States House of Representatives, Seventh District of
Washington
...................... The Honorable John Lewis, United States House of Representatives, Fifth District of Georgia
...................... The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the United States House of Representatives
...................... The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader of the United States Senate
...................... The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the United States Senate
Musical Selection
...................... ``Eternal Father, Strong to Save''
...................... TSgt Emily Wellington, United States Air Force Band Soloist
Tributes
...................... The Honorable Robert H. Michel, Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
(1981-1995)
...................... The Honorable William J. Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
...................... The Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States
Family Reflection
...................... Mrs. Heather Foley, wife of the Honorable Thomas S. Foley
Benediction
...................... The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives
Postlude
...................... United States Air Force Band String Quartet
.eps``I've taken positions that I think were damaging in a
political sense, but I don't have any regrets taking them.
I used to say that the most important thing about votes on
the Floor and positions you take in Congress is that when
you consider them at election time you're able to say with
some satisfaction that you can still vote for yourself.''
--Speaker Thomas S. Foley
THE HONORABLE
Thomas S. Foley
MARCH 6, 1929-OCTOBER 18, 2013
Immediately following today's memorial service,
the Foley family will receive guests
in the Atrium of the Congressional Auditorium
in the Capitol Visitor Center.
The Honorable John A. Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House
of Representatives. Ladies and gentlemen, let us begin
today by acknowledging a great friend of this institution,
Mrs. Heather Foley. (Applause.)
Mrs. Foley, thank you for giving us this chance to try
to express the depth of gratitude that we owe to Tom.
An English poet once wrote, ``The noblest work of God is
an honest man.'' Well, Tom Foley was that and more. A
leader grounded in decency, in principle, he brought honor
to himself, to his family, and to this House. He did all
these things a public servant should do and, frankly, did
many of them better than the rest. Ask any of his peers
and they will tell you this, especially those who didn't
share his politics.
Listen to Bob Dole, who around the time Tom became
Speaker called him ``a man of total integrity.'' Or ask
Alan Simpson, who said, ``Tom can tell you to go to Hell
and make you feel good about going there.'' And Henry
Hyde, as fierce a conservative as they come, who said of
the man, ``I wish he were a Republican.''
There's also this from President George H.W. Bush, ``Tom
Foley represented the very best in public service and our
political system.'' One class act tipping his hat to
another.
Yes, the span of Tom's service and his record is
impressive, as is the sequence of his rise: Agriculture
Committee chairman, majority whip, majority leader, and
Speaker.
But it was his sense of fairness, his port-in-a-storm
bearing, that will always stand out for me. It's how he
held this institution together at a very difficult time,
and it's why those who come after us, who seek to know
what it means when we use that phrase, ``man of the
House,'' or just what it means to leave something behind,
should look up the name Thomas S. Foley.
Today, we gather in the old Hall, joined by Presidents,
Vice Presidents, Speakers, and so many of our colleagues
and diplomats that Tom served with and to reminisce about
this man's service and a toast to his life.
Welcome, and thank you all for being here.
The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., Chaplain of the U.S.
House of Representatives. God of Heaven and Earth, the
work of Your hands is made known in Your bountiful
creation and in the lives of those who faithfully live in
Your grace.
Today we especially remember the life and work of Tom
Foley, son of the very proud city of Spokane. His
commitment to furthering education in his own district,
Washington's Fifth, is testified to by the Ralph and Helen
Higgins Foley Library at Gonzaga University, his alma
mater. It is named in honor of his parents, who clearly
did something right in raising such a son.
Tom Foley was a modest man whose impact on the public
weal beyond his district far exceeded any projection of
ego strength. May we all be inspired by his example to be
men and women impelled to improve the lives and prospects
of our fellow citizens while eschewing any honor or glory
for ourselves, and as he did, do our part to increase
understanding and respect across cultural divides.
Be present with us this day, O God, as we mark his life
and remember his legacy. Bless this gathering and comfort
us as we comfort one another in remembering a great
American and a genuinely good man.
Amen.
The Honorable Norman D. Dicks, U.S. House of
Representatives, Sixth District of Washington, 1977-2013.
Tom Foley was my friend, mentor, and colleague in the
House of Representatives.
I first met Tom Foley at the University of Washington
Law School in 1965 during his freshman term. He was a
brilliant young man with a warm and friendly smile. It was
his intellect and love for this country that made him an
outstanding leader.
He served as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
and worked hard on the farm bill and food stamp
legislation. Bringing these two issues together allowed
Chairman Foley to build support in the House for both.
Tom believed in and practiced civility, and
bipartisanship. His view was that, after the elections
were over, Democrats and Republicans should work together
to deal with the national legislative agenda.
Seeing Tom Foley's strong leadership qualities and
belief in getting things done for the American people,
Speaker O'Neill appointed Tom to be the majority whip. He
was then unanimously elected to be our majority leader and
then our Speaker in 1989.
As Speaker, Tom worked closely with Bob Michel, the
Republican leader from 1989 to 1995. They remained great
friends after they left Congress. Later, President Clinton
named Speaker Foley to be our Ambassador to Japan.
As a staffer to Senator Warren T. Magnuson, I worked
with Tom on the Spokane World's Fair in 1974. This project
created dramatic change for Spokane, the largest city in
the Fifth District.
Tom was so proud to represent the people of the Fifth
Congressional District for 30 years. He always thought
this was his most important responsibility.
It was a great honor for me that Tom Foley supported me
in my campaign to Congress in 1976. I was then privileged
to work with him and to receive his support as a Member of
the House, and I will always thank him for being such a
good mentor.
We will always remember the legacy of Tom Foley. He
believed in the Congress, and he believed that this
institution could produce positive results for the
American people.
His loving wife, Heather, supported him throughout his
career and took wonderful care of him during his long
illness.
May God bless you, Heather, and the entire Foley family.
The Honorable Jim McDermott, U.S. House of
Representatives, Seventh District of Washington. Good
afternoon. I am Jim McDermott. I am a House Member from
Washington's Seventh Congressional District, which is
mostly Seattle. I knew Tom Foley for more than 40 years,
and throughout that time, he was a wonderful friend and a
sage mentor.
In 1971, when I was a freshman State legislator, he took
me out to dinner in Seattle and suggested I run for
Congress. I was pleased by his regard for my career, but I
knew better since I was a freshman legislator. So I
rejected it and ran for Governor. I got creamed. Tom never
said a word.
Chastened, I returned to the legislature, determined to
learn as much as I could about the realities of governing
effectively and the challenges of the legislative role.
When I finally ran for Congress in 1988, Tom was the
majority leader of the House. As I arrived for my first
term in 1989, Tom was about to become Speaker. I know now
that he was about to become the last Speaker of the whole
House. He believed that the Speaker was the Speaker for
the whole House, and he lived that to his very core.
Today many will note Tom's devotion to the House of
Representatives and his learned knowledge of the history
of this organization. Sitting down with Tom and letting
him tell stories, you learned enormous amounts. He
appreciated the role of the House in our balanced
structure of government. He knew well the challenge of
maintaining that fragile balance.
So when he assumed the speakership, he brought to it a
scholar's depth of understanding and a disciple's passion.
He led the House with fairness and comity, a style of
leadership we haven't seen--we recently have looked for
it--but we have not seen what Tom was able to do with both
sides.
Tom understood that the House could not perform its
constitutional function without evenhandedness and
respected the role of the minority. Tom was a Democrat, no
question about it. He was very clear about why he was a
Democrat. He believed in the legitimacy and the value of
government. He knew that government's duty was to improve
the lives of Americans, and he saw it as a noble
obligation and worthy of one's very best efforts at any
time.
When he became Speaker, he abandoned none of these
principles. He added to them a very nuanced appreciation
of the role of Speaker, and his certainty that the
leadership of the House required not a flame-throwing
partisan but a measured, steady pilot enlightened by an
unmatched knowledge of, and love for, the House of
Representatives.
Tom Foley's district was a sprawling, largely rural
swath of Eastern Washington State; yet its essentially
very conservative voters reelected him for 30 years. They
took an urban internationalist and sent him back again and
again. They did so and that was a persistent reaffirmation
of his unshakeable integrity, his superb legislative
skills, and his deep connection with the people of the
Fifth District. He always started his speeches by saying,
``My highest honor was to be elected Congressman from the
Fifth District.'' I believe that the voters recognized him
as a great American.
We share that sense of wry Irish humor, but Tom's charm
and wit were all his own. He was an extraordinary person
and an irreplaceable friend. I am grateful to have known
him.
Rest in peace.
The Honorable John Lewis, U.S. House of Representatives,
Fifth District of Georgia. Mrs. Foley, bless you.
There was a great minister, scholar, and abolitionist
who lived in New England in the 19th century. His name was
James Freeman Clarke, and he once made this statement: ``A
politician,'' he said, ``thinks only of the next election;
a statesman thinks of the next generation.''
Speaker Tom Foley was a true statesman. He believed it
was an honor to serve the public good, and he brought
respect for the dignity of our democracy and the
inspiration of our mandate as a Nation to every moment of
his service. He believed it was our calling as Members of
Congress to do what we could to preserve and help create a
more perfect Union that has been in the making for almost
300 years.
In all of my years knowing Speaker Foley and seeing him
on the floor or in small meetings, I never heard this man,
this good man, speak or say a bad word about anyone. I
just have a feeling that he was one who believed if you
couldn't say something good about someone, don't say
anything at all.
As a leader, he believed he should build and not tear
down, reconcile and not divide. He stood for the
principles of diplomacy and mutual respect, even toward
his opposition. He did not subscribe to the politics of
personal destruction.
He knew that his work as Speaker, as a Representative of
the great State of Washington or as a legislator was
bigger than his own personal values and ambition. He
wanted to leave a record of accomplishment that would have
a lasting impact on our society for generations to come.
When he left the Speaker's chair, it was the end of an
era, a period in our history.
Maybe, just maybe, his passing at this moment in our
history is just an elegant reminder of one simple truth:
no leader is greater than the cause he serves, and when
our lives are over, we will be remembered not for fame or
fortune, but for how we helped or how we harmed the
dignity of all humankind.
I will never forget this prince of a man who led by
example and struggled to turn the tide of partisanship in
Congress back to constructive debate on the great issues.
Every leader, whether in politics or in the larger
society, but every leader in America could do well to take
a page from Tom Foley's book.
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader of the U.S.
House of Representatives. Heather, Mr. President, Mr.
President, Mr. Vice President, Mr. Vice President, how
wonderful that Speaker Foley has two Presidents, two Vice
Presidents, and the good wishes of President George
Herbert Walker Bush that our distinguished Speaker quoted
earlier. He could never probably have imagined that when
he came to the floor on the first day to make his first
floor speech. He said, ``Public service is a free gift of
a free people and a challenge for all of us in public life
to do what we can to make our service useful for those who
have sent us here.'' Few fulfilled that charge with more
courage, more conviction, more civility than he.
I take great pride in the fact that he's the first
Speaker to hail from west of the Rocky Mountains. He
brought to Congress a fresh perspective and a powerful
voice that would open doors of leadership to Members who
represent the diversity of our country.
His first campaign was legendary in its civility. Before
the election was even over, his opponent, Congressman Walt
Horan, released a statement calling the campaign the
cleanest he had ever seen in his 22 years in office. In
that spirit, when Tom Foley came to Congress and as
Speaker Foley, he made campaign finance reform a priority.
He sent legislation to the President's desk that would
ensure that our democracy was a government of, by, and for
the people. Unfortunately, we could not override the
President's veto, but Speaker Foley's commitment to a just
democracy and fair elections serves us as an enduring
challenge to this day.
Known for his ability to build consensus, Speaker Foley
never compromised on the conviction to do right by the
American people. When tragedy struck at the Fairchild Air
Force Base Hospital in his district, this longtime
defender of gun rights saw the need for sensible gun
violence prevention laws. Speaker Foley brought that bill
to the floor. He helped enact it--those bans--knowing that
it would not be well received in his district. But he did
what he believed, and he did it with courage.
He matched that dedication to principle and courage with
a gift for diplomacy. Nearly 20 years ago, I was
privileged--I don't know why I was on the list, but I was
invited to attend a special dinner at the British Embassy
to honor Speaker Foley for his leadership. As fate would
have it, President Clinton, that was the day that you
announced that you were going to grant a temporary visa to
Gerry Adams. Just a coincidence.
Needless to say, the mood of the evening was tense.
Speaker Foley, with his characteristic grace, reasoned
that this step--no matter how disconcerting at the moment
to them--was crucial to delivering an ever-elusive peace
to Northern Ireland, Ambassador.
That remarkable ability to build bridges across great
divides would serve him well as Speaker and, later, as
U.S. Ambassador to Japan--something he took great pride
in, as I know you did, Mr. Vice President. His judgment
was impeccable and was respected, and many of us benefited
from it.
For me, in September 2008, I attended a G-8 meeting of
heads of Parliament, or Speakers--whatever they're called
in their particular country. All of the participants were
invited to lay a wreath at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. I
immediately called Ambassador Foley, as I called Vice
President Mondale, to ask what I should do. He replied,
``You must participate. You will be the highest-ranking
American official,'' up until then, ``to lay a wreath at
the memorial. You cannot say no.''
Now, that may seem easy now, but at the time, that was
very strong judgment, as, again, the Vice President also
gave me.
Such is the nature of a great man who believed, above
all, in the purpose of public service. It's about respect.
Diplomat, leader, Speaker--Tom Foley was the
quintessential champion of the common good. He spoke for
the House he led and the country he so loved.
In his farewell speech--I started with his opening
speech--in his farewell speech to the House, he said,
``Congress is the place where we come together to speak
the voices of America and democracy, and it is the voice
that is found to echo resoundingly throughout the world.''
Throughout the world.
Heather, I hope it is a comfort to you that so many
people mourn your loss throughout the world and are
praying for you at this sad time. To you, Heather, and to
the Foley family, thank you for sharing Tom with a
grateful Nation. His voice will forever echo in our
hearts, to all who strive to make a difference through
public service.
As we count our blessings as a Nation, we know that God
truly blessed America with the life and leadership of
Speaker, Ambassador, and leader, Tom Foley.
The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader of the
U.S. Senate. Thank you all for being here. Heather, we
honor you today. You were there all along, guiding and
accompanying Tom across all the peaks and the valleys
right to the end. We thank you for your spirit, your
generosity, and your example, which enlivened this House,
as well as your own, for many years. Welcome back.
Now, given Tom's famous equanimity, it is somewhat
ironic that he decided to run for Congress in the first
place. He actually did it in a moment of anger. The day
was July 16, 1964. The Beatles had just returned to
Liverpool after their first U.S. tour. President Johnson
had recently signed the Civil Rights Act and was on his
way to a landslide victory against Barry Goldwater that
November. And a 35-year-old Tom Foley was having lunch at
the Spokane Club in downtown Spokane.
A gifted lawyer from a prominent local family and a
trusted aide to Scoop Jackson, Tom mentioned to the guys
he was eating lunch with that he was thinking seriously
about running for Congress--not this time, but the next
time around. At which point, one of his lunch companions
bluntly dismissed the idea out of hand and said, ``You'll
never do it. You're like all young people. You think the
party's going to come to you with a Tiffany tray and an
engraved card and say, `Please, we humbly beg you, run for
Congress.' That isn't the way it happens. People get to
Congress by wanting to run for Congress. You've got
excuses this year, and you'll have excuses next year and
the year after that.''
Well, Tom didn't like this little piece of armchair
psychology one bit, and he was determined to prove them
wrong. So he got up from the table, walked over to the
library across the hall, stuffed himself into a phone
booth, and called Western Union. Within minutes, a
telegram had been sent to Senator Jackson back in
Washington saying that Tom had just resigned his job and
was headed to Olympia to file for a run.
Then Tom called his bank and found out he didn't have
any money. His cousin Hank had to loan him the filing fee.
Oh, and the filing deadline was the next day.
So Tom had no cash, no plan, and virtually no time.
But he had the smarts. He had a sterling reputation. He
had the backing of Senator Jackson. And now, he had the
motivation.
And he did it, and for the next three decades, Thomas
Stephen Foley would devote his life to the people of
eastern Washington's Fifth Congressional District--with
grace, intelligence, wit, and a profound respect for
others, including his political adversaries, and an
abiding gratitude for the trust and confidence of the
people he was elected to serve, from Walla Walla to
Northport and all the wheat country and timber towns in
between.
Tom always looked the part. Even his classmates at
Gonzaga High School called him ``the senator.'' I dare say
that if most Americans were asked to conjure up in their
minds the image of a Congressman, the man they'd like to
see would be him. To most people, it seemed as though Tom
were born to serve here. And in a remarkable 30-year
congressional career, he proved they were right. He proved
that he didn't just look the part, he knew the part, and
he played it well.
Tom and I weren't on the same side on most issues. His
faith in government was, shall I say, a little more robust
than mine, but we shared a deep respect for the
institution and a belief that working with the other side,
particularly at a time of divided government, is no heresy
when it enables you to achieve some good for the Nation.
That kind of comity is sometimes viewed as old fashioned
around here, but that's never been true. The parties have
always disagreed, but it hasn't kept them from working
together from time to time to solve problems that we all
recognize.
Tom knew that. He practiced it. He took flak from time
to time for being a little too friendly with Republicans,
but I don't think he ever doubted the wisdom of his
approach, even in defeat. As Tom often said, ``The first
vote you need to earn is your own.'' It was a principle
that served him very well, and it's one that I think says
a lot about what the legacy of the gentleman from Spokane
will be. We honor his service and his memory.
May we draw all the right lessons from both.
The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the U.S.
Senate. For 4 years, I served in the House of
Representatives with Speaker Tom Foley. During the time I
served there, he was the majority whip. I also served with
the man who would succeed Speaker Foley as leader of the
House, Speaker Newt Gingrich. Newt and I don't agree on
too much, but when he wrote in last week's Time magazine
that Tom Foley was a pragmatic man, a person of great
integrity, and a genuine patriot, I couldn't agree more
with Newt.
This is what Speaker Gingrich wrote: ``I have nothing
but fond memories of serving with Tom Foley. We worked
together when we could, competed when we had to, and
cooperated for the national interest as far as possible.''
I, too, have fond memories of my time serving in the
House with Tom Foley. I offer my condolences to Heather
who, as we all know, had a strong voice in the House, at
least when I was there. She was tremendous, always there
available to help us; and she was his greatest influence
politically in his whole life.
Tom learned his practical style of politics from his
mentors, Senators Scoop Jackson and Warren Magnuson, who
were both from the State of Washington. Speaker Foley
gained his pragmatism from being a Member, as we've heard
from Norm Dicks and others, as a Member and then chairman
of the House Agriculture Committee, one of the Chamber's
most bipartisan committees.
I credit much of Tom's down-to-earth demeanor to his
Western upbringing. You see, he was the first Speaker of
the House of Representatives to be born west of the Rocky
Mountains. He cut an imposing figure. He was a big man
physically and had this wonderful smile and great voice.
He was always gracious to young Members like me.
One day, when I reflect back, as we get a little older,
and we've all had that experience, or most of us, you
can't see like you used to, and somehow he didn't bring
his reading glasses with him. He was desperate. He had to
read there. He was managing what was going on on the floor
and he couldn't see. I was the first person he saw, and he
said, ``Find me some glasses. I don't care where you get
them.'' I wanted to adhere to his wishes, so I didn't care
where I got them. Somebody left them laying on a desk, and
I grabbed them, and he was so happy to get those glasses
because, as has happened to all of us, he just couldn't
see and he needed to see. Well, it was my honor and
pleasure to find him some glasses to help him see that
day.
But a vision as to where the country needed to go he
always saw clearly.
The Honorable Robert H. Michel, Minority Leader of the
U.S. House of Representatives, 1981-95. Heather, members
of the family and President Clinton, President Obama, and
all my former colleagues and friends of Tom, all of you,
it was my good fortune to have visited Tom with my former
right-hand man Billy Pitts a few days before Tom died. I
am so grateful to Heather for making that visit possible.
We thought it was going to be just a visit of a couple
of minutes, and it ended up we were speaking for an hour
about the days gone by, not unlike so many others we had
over a relationship of more than 40 years. We both were
able to say our peace in an atmosphere of mutual respect,
open-mindedness, and, most of all, trust.
As I said in an article in the Post the other day, when
Tom became Speaker, he suggested that we get together once
a week, talk over the affairs of the House, one week in my
office and the next in his, something that had never been
done before. While we disagreed over policy and jousted
with each other politically, the meetings were highly
productive because underlying them was the faith and trust
we had in each other. We could talk about anything,
knowing that our discussions would remain private unless
we decided otherwise. I don't think there is anything more
important in the relationship between political leaders
than trust.
Never was that bond tested more than it was in January
1991 when I implored Tom to bring to the House floor a
resolution that Steve Solarz of New York and I had
introduced authorizing then-President Bush to engage in
military action in Operation Desert Storm to drive Saddam
Hussein out of Kuwait. I was convinced that Tom opposed
military intervention, and I know that a good many of his
caucus were strongly opposed as well. It was an exercise
of political courage and personal decency for Tom to agree
to bring the resolution up for an open debate and recorded
vote under those circumstances, but he did.
We had one of the most spirited, but civil and
informative, debates in which I had been privileged to
participate in all my 38 years in Congress. We prevailed
in the final outcome that day, but I would have been proud
of the House and proud of our Speaker regardless, because
the House demonstrated to the world that it was truly a
deliberative and democratic body.
Tom and I always struggled to find common ground between
our two sides. When there were issues upon which we could
not agree, we could at least use common courtesy in the
way we conducted our politics. That isn't just good
manners; it is good politics.
But win, lose, or compromise, the way we argue can be as
important, in the long run, as the decisions we reach.
I so admired Tom's grace and civility. I also admired
his understanding and natural feel for the personality and
the distinctive culture of the institution. He was so
dedicated to its preservation and protection. Tom was
chosen to lead the House in a very difficult time. Through
it all, he was a gentleman of the House and a fair and
honest broker and a worthy adversary.
Maybe we both knew that our days were numbered. We were
too conditioned by our personal and political upbringing
to assume that we had the market cornered on political
principle or partisan superiority. We knew, too, that
there would always be a distinction and separation between
campaigning for office and serving in office. We were, I
guess, pupils of the old school.
Tom knew that a House Member has three essential jobs:
to deliberate, to debate, and to be effective. He knew
that if we wanted to be effective in the House, you just
can't go around shouting your principles; you have to
subject those principles to the test of open debate
against those who do not share those principles. But true
debate is not possible unless the Golden Rule is applied,
which simply means that you treat your fellow Members the
way you, yourself, want to be treated. Tom believed in
that rule, and he practiced it from the day he came to the
House and all during his time as Speaker of the House.
Tom Foley was proud to be a Member of this House. I
share that deep pride in this great institution, and I
guess that is one reason we were able to work together. We
both saw the House of Representatives not as a necessary
evil, but as one of the great creations of a free people.
On our last day in Congress, November 29, 1994, Tom did
me the great honor of inviting me to the Speaker's podium
to preside over the House while he gave his farewell
remarks from the well. Incidentally, that was the first
time in 40 years a Republican had been on that rostrum.
When we stood side by side at the podium on that last day
of the 103d Congress, we knew that we were icons, I guess,
of a bygone era. As we visited for the last time 20 years
later, I think we felt good about that. We both took great
pride in knowing we had made things happen, that we found
good ways to solve difficult problems and make the House a
working institution.
Now Tom takes his place among the great public servants
immortalized in this Hall of Statues. He is most worthy of
a presence here. I know, because of his great love for
this institution, that his spirit will dwell here forever.
I only hope that the legislators who now walk through here
each day, so consumed by the here and now, will feel his
spirit, learn from it, and be humbled by it.
That's what I have to say in honor of my dear friend,
Tom Foley.
The Honorable William J. Clinton, 42d President of the
United States. Mr. Michel may be 90 years old, but he has
the spirit of a man half his age and the wisdom of one 10
times his age. We thank him for his remarks.
Heather, I thank you, and Mr. Speaker, I thank you for
giving those of us who worked with, knew, and cared about
Tom the chance to be here today. I thank you, Heather, for
all you did to make his work possible and better.
Mr. President, thank you for being here, and Mr. Vice
President, Vice President Mondale, and all the others who
have spoken before me.
Shortly after I was elected President, I invited Speaker
Foley and Leader Gephardt to come to Arkansas to see me to
tell me everything I didn't know that was about to happen
to me, which Tom Foley proceeded to do in that calm,
restrained, balanced, lyrical way.
Tom told me not to be lulled by Bob Michel's
friendliness, that he was a very tough adversary, but I
could make a deal with him. He told me not to be
intimidated, Mr. Speaker, by your bellicosity because you
were a brilliant politician, but in the end, we would find
a way to do business. He turned out to be right about both
things.
His leadership made possible things that mattered to me
a lot. Being President is a matter of trying to do what
you promised to do when you ran, trying to respond to
legitimate impulses that are coming out of the political
system across the range, and trying to deal with the
unanticipated developments. If you ignore any of them, you
cannot prevail. And if you can't work with Congress, it's
very difficult.
Tom Foley, therefore, was pivotal in our landslide
victory for my economic plan and deficit reduction plan,
because we won by one vote in the House. That runaway
victory was made possible by the Speaker and everybody
else that voted for it. Also, we just celebrated the 20th
anniversary of the Family Medical Leave law, the 20th
anniversary of AmeriCorps. They are now part of the
pillars of our sense of common citizenship.
Now, I have had Republicans and Democrats come up to me
and tell me what a difference the family leave law made
for them; young people who belong to both political
parties who believed in citizen service and participated
in AmeriCorps. He helped make those things possible, too.
That's one of the things that I always appreciated about
him and marveled at how he could be brutally honest in the
kindest way.
It is true, as Leader Pelosi said, that he had a
conversion of sorts on the whole question of assault
weapons because of an experience he had, but he was very
clearheaded. He told me when we succeeded, in no small
measure thanks to the leadership of then-Senator Biden,
and putting the assault weapons ban back in the crime
bill, he said, ``You can leave this in here but there will
be a lot of blood on the floor if we pass this. Many of us
will not survive.''
I will never forget the argument I had with him. I said,
``Tom, I'm from Arkansas. Both my Senators voted for this.
I'm still going to carry it next time.'' He said,
``Yeah.'' He said, ``In 4 years. It's the same thing with
your economic plan. People will see that it works and
people will see that they did not lose their guns and they
still got to defend their homes and go hunting and be in
sports shooting contests, but we all have to run before
they know any of that. We have enough uncertainty now. If
you put this in there, there will be a lot of carnage.''
I thought he was wrong, but he was right. He lost that
election by 4,000 votes. I would be a wealthy man if I had
a dollar for every time in the last 20 years I have found
my mind drawn to that conversation.
Was it worth his public service? We had 8 years of
declining violent crime for the first time in the history
of the country. We did prove that it did not interfere
with people's Second Amendment rights, but the price was
high.
What I want to tell you is, appropriate today, that Tom
Foley, as nice as he was, as civil as he was, as much as
he loved his colleagues of both parties, was one tough
guy. This is a man who took up martial arts in his
sixties. Now that I am there, I respect it even more.
He risked the broken bones and the torn ligaments and
everything. He was tough and he walked clear-eyed into the
House, and we put those votes together and the crime bill
passed. And those of us who supported it at least think
America was much better off as a result. But he knew that,
even in the spirit of bipartisanship and compromise, being
in public service and making difficult decisions was
inevitable and not free, and he paid the price.
Before I came here, I read all the letters that Tom
Foley and I wrote to each other. That is a great thing
about having a library. Somebody will dig that stuff up
for you. Now, here is the one that means the most to me.
It says the most about him. He loved being in the House.
It hurts to lose anytime, but it really hurts if you're
the Speaker, and he knew his district, it turned out, way
better than I did, at least 4,000 votes better than I did.
Bob Michel talked about what they did on November 29,
1994. This letter was written to me on November 16, 1994,
signed by Tom Foley and Dick Gephardt and Bob Michel and
Newt Gingrich, asking that the administration send to the
lame duck session of Congress the legislation to implement
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade which
established the World Trade Organization which I believe
has played a major role in lifting more people out of
poverty in extreme circumstances in very poor countries,
in the last 20 years, than anything else.
He was, in short, dying inside, heartbroken, and he
still showed up for work, and he still believed that the
purpose of political service was to get the show on the
road.
I will never forget this letter as long as I live. Dick
was hurt, too. He was going from the majority to the
minority, but Tom Foley had lost his seat in a district he
loved. I talked to him about the wrinkles and curves of
that district I don't know how many times. But he was
doing his job.
I asked him to go to Japan, just as I asked Vice
President Mondale to go to Japan, for a very simple
reason. After our wartime conflict, they became one of our
greatest allies and one of the greatest forces for
democracy and security and freedom and growth in the
world. They had a tough time in the 1990s. They had their
collapse well before we did, and I always believed that
the rest of the world was underestimating the Japanese
people, their brilliance, their creativity, their
technology, their resilience, and I wanted them to know
that America still cared.
When Fritz Mondale was there and when Tom Foley was
there, they knew America cared.
So I leave you with this. I think they had a good time
there, and I think they enjoyed it. I know he did. There
were seven Japanese Prime Ministers in my 8 years as
President. We are not the only people that have turmoil.
The best politician was Prime Minister Obuchi. Tragically,
as a young man he had a stroke. He endured for 43 days
after his stroke, and when he died I suppose in a busy
world full of things to do, it was something of an
anticlimax. I was appalled when I was the only leader of a
major country that came to his funeral. But I flew all the
way to Japan, spent 7 hours, so that I could go. I liked
him, I admired him, and I thought he had set forth a
direction that gave Japan the best chance they had to
succeed until Mr. Mori took office.
At the end of the funeral, young Japanese women appeared
with trays of flowers, and in the site, his ashes were on
a high wall that was totally made of flowers of the rising
sun, and every person there, beginning with his wife, went
up and bowed to his ashes and put a flower on the table
until thousands and thousands and thousands of flowers
were there creating a great cloud.
He was succeeded as Prime Minister by one of his close
allies, and the ally said this: ``Tom Foley and I stayed
there for hours and then we went home and watched the rest
of it on television until every person had put their
flower there, a testimony to the importance of citizenship
and believing in the institutions of your country.'' The
current Prime Minister said this of his friend, ``I wonder
if he ever dreamed, and if my friend dreamed, I wonder
what his dreams were. Whatever they were, I hope they have
all now come true.''
I did not know Tom Foley well enough to know if he ever
dreamed, or if he did, what he dreamed. But I know when he
sat with me that day and watched that sacred experience, I
saw the well of common humanity we all share across all of
our interesting differences.
He gave his life to our country, and I hope his dreams
have all come true.
The Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United
States. To Heather and the Foley family, to Tom's
colleagues and friends, President Clinton, Vice President
Mondale, former Speakers, and those who preceded me, I am
honored to join you today to remember a man who embodied
the virtues of devotion and respect for the institution
that he led, for the colleagues that he served alongside,
and, most important, for the citizens that he had the
honor to represent.
Unlike so many of you, I did not have the privilege of
knowing Tom personally. I admired him from afar. But like
millions of Americans, I benefit from his legacy. Thanks
to Tom, more children get a head start on success in
school and in life, more seniors receive better health
care, more families breathe easier because they know their
country will be there for them in times of need. And all
of them--all of us--are indebted to that towering man from
Spokane.
I think, in listening to the wonderful memories that
have been shared, we get a sense of this man, and we
recognize his humility. He often attributed much of his
success to good luck--and he may have had a point. Leader
McConnell told the story about his first race. There were
a couple of details that got left out. On the way to
Olympia to file the paperwork for his first congressional
campaign, apparently Tom blew out a tire, so he and some
friends hitchhiked to a service station to get it fixed.
And then, as they approached the outskirts of the city,
they ran out of gas, so they pushed the car up the hill,
coasting into town just before the deadline. Tom went on
to win that race by a resounding 54 votes.
So there's no question that there may have been some
luck of the Irish operating when it came to Tom Foley, as
well as incredible stamina. But what led him to make
history as the first Speaker of the House from west of the
Rockies was not luck. It was his hard work, his deep
integrity, and his powerful intellect, and, as Bob Michel
so eloquently and movingly stated, his ability to find
common ground with his colleagues across the aisle. It was
his personal decency that helped him bring civility and
order to a Congress that demanded both and still does.
Which brings me to a final point. At a time when our
political system can seem more polarized and more divided
than ever before, it can be tempting to see the
possibility of bipartisan progress as a thing of the
past--old school, as Bob said. It can be tempting to
wonder if we still have room for leaders like Tom; whether
the environment, the media, the way that districts are
drawn, and the pressures that those of us in elected
office are under somehow preclude the possibility of that
brand of leadership. Well, I believe we have to find our
way back there.
Now, more than ever, America needs public servants who
are willing to place problem solving ahead of politics, as
the letter that President Clinton held up indicates, as
the history of the crime bill shows. We are sent here to
do what's right, and sometimes doing what's right is hard
and it's not free; and yet that's the measure of
leadership.
It's important for us who feel a responsibility to fight
for a cause to recognize that our cause is not advanced if
we can't also try to achieve compromise, the same way our
Founders saw it--as a vital part of our democracy, the
very thing that makes our system of self-government
possible. That's what Tom Foley believed. That's what he
embodied. That's the legacy that shines brightly today.
On the last day that he presided as Speaker, Tom
described what it should feel like to serve the American
people in this city. He spoke about coming to work in the
morning and catching a glimpse of the Capitol. He said
that it ought to give anyone a thrill, a sense not only of
personal satisfaction, ``but very deep gratitude to our
constituents for the honor of letting us represent them.''
Tom never lost that sense of wonder.
It's interesting--as I read that passage, what he wrote,
the first time I visited Capitol Hill, Tom Foley was
Speaker. I was a very young man and I was doing community
work, and I remember seeing that Capitol and having that
same sense of wonder. I think now about Tom Foley being
here, doing that work, and inspiring what might have
ultimately led me to be interested in public service as
well.
When we're standing outside these magnificent buildings,
we have that sense of wonder and that sense of hope.
Sometimes the longer you're here, the harder it is to hang
on to that. Yet Tom Foley never lost it--never lost that
sense of wonder, never lost the sense of gratitude. What a
privilege he felt it was to serve. He never forgot why he
came here--on behalf of this Nation and his State and the
citizens that he loved and respected so much.
And so, as a country, we ought to be grateful to him.
And to Heather and to the people of the great State of
Washington, thank you so much for sharing Tom with us.
God bless Tom Foley. God bless the United States of
America.
Speaker Boehner. Mr. President and to all of our speakers,
thank you for your testimonials.
In keeping with tradition, at this time, I would like to
ask Leader Pelosi to join me as we present Mrs. Foley with
a flag flown over the Capitol on the day of the Speaker's
passing and a copy of House Resolution 383, a resolution
expressing the House's sincerest condolences.
(Presentation made.)
Mrs. Heather Foley. Thank you, President Obama and
President Clinton. I so appreciate you coming to honor and
celebrate Tom's life.
Thank you, Norman Dicks and Jim McDermott, our wonderful
friends. Let me acknowledge Congressman Lewis and former
Congressman and Republican leader Bob Michel, who have
both always been great friends to Tom and me.
And of course, I thank Senator Harry Reid and Senator
Mitch McConnell for traveling a long way from the Senate
to the House to remember my husband.
Also, I want to thank the Special Envoy from Japan,
Minister Masahiko Komura and Ambassadors Sasae, Anderson,
and Westmacott, plus the diplomatic delegations, for
coming.
I owe a special debt of gratitude to Speaker Boehner for
making this memorial service possible. Without his caring
and competent staff, this event would not have happened.
When my husband was Speaker, we had about one person who
handled this kind of work. The Speaker has been most
gracious and helpful, and I applaud him for that.
I want to say a few words about my husband. As you
probably know, I worked for him for years as an unpaid
staffer. I did not plan to do this when I married him in
1968. I was sort of wooed into being a volunteer for just
a little while to see how things went, and I remained for
the full time he was here. I should say that I stayed here
unpaid, and that it was a great adventure. Every time I
thought of leaving, he would suddenly assume a new
position, and it was a great good fortune of my life to be
along for the ride and to see what happened next.
Early on, I discovered that my husband was a wonderful
teacher. David Barner has written the nicest note about
this, and I think he was right on the mark. I can look
back and say that his father taught him about fairness,
patience, and all the virtues everyone has mentioned
today.
There was a story that Tom's father, who was a superior
court judge, could sentence you to death and you would
thank him. But when I think back, and what I thought at
the time is I'm not sure where his good judgment came
from, how he understood the limits of power--and there are
enormous limits to power--that we must all work together
and how much courage he often displayed when defending
what he believed was right. Some of it must have been the
result of his Jesuit education and his experience as a
debater.
A friend of his is here who knew him and debated with
him, and he told me that at 16 he was just a wonderful,
great man, even though he was just a young man at that
time. I never knew really exactly why he always knew the
right thing to say and do. Perhaps it was his honesty and
his resolve to keep his word. I don't know.
I think back on our almost 45 years together, and I
think of the long meetings that perhaps best displayed his
ability to reason with people. One of them was in the late
1960s at Shadel Park High School in Spokane. Tom had
accepted the challenge of a man, whose name I think was
Virgil Gunning, who was opposed to any form of gun
control, and he claimed that Tom was for every form of gun
control. So Tom agreed to appear at this forum in this
local high school, and Virgil ran ads in the newspapers
and was able to attract--I think he also ran them on the
radio and television--an audience of about 700 people. Tom
stood on the stage for 5\1/2\ hours and answered all of
Gunning's allegations with reasons that I never would have
thought of. There were endless questions in the audience.
There were bumper stickers waved about the Hungarians
limited their guns and that's why they lost their freedom,
something to that effect.
I can remember Tom saying that he was not for repealing
laws that limited a citizen's use of cannons and rockets,
that he didn't think you were entitled to have a missile
silo right there in the backyard of your house.
At first, the audience was hostile, but at the end,
Gunning made a fatal mistake. He asked everyone to stand
up and then he pleaded for money to pay for the hall and
the ads, and people who were already standing, they just
walked out.
I had spent a good deal of my life overseas at this
time, and I was mesmerized to watch this. It wasn't like
dealing with the Pakistanis or going to school there or
living in Greece or Egypt, as I had done. It was something
very different.
I learned over the years, and I was able to see Tom
reason with all kinds of people and with all kinds of
interesting arguments. He could always see another side to
something. I got to see him in action with Presidents and
politicians on both sides of the House and both sides of
the Capitol. He was somehow able to walk others through
their demands and show them where they were asking too
much and where they might be right. He was not afraid to
take a position that a constituent or a colleague might
oppose and explain why.
I can remember the Pacific power administrator who came
to get more goodies being told that it was time that the
Pacific Northwest perhaps limited its demands and look in
other directions to get more power. I'm sure they are
still here asking for it. But at the time, they agreed.
He was a man of principle. He was not afraid to
compromise. He believed there was honor in compromising.
When he nearly lost the election in 1980, he did not
retreat to the life he enjoyed as chairman of the House
Agriculture Committee, as many would have done. Instead,
he became Democratic whip and started his climb up the
leadership ladder.
I was appalled. I had gotten used to his position as
chairman, and I was on good terms with the staff.
Suddenly, all of these people were going to lose their
jobs. We couldn't take all of them with us to the whip
office. The budget was not that large. So I got used to
it, and then he moved up the ladder again and again.
It would have been the easy thing to stay as chairman of
the Agriculture Committee, and I should have known that
this extraordinary man was destined for extraordinary
things. I'm afraid I've kept you too long. Thank you so
much for coming to salute the life of a great man.
Thank you.
Reverend Conroy. Dear Lord, as we close our time together,
send Your Spirit of peace and consolation upon us, who
mourn the loss of the honorable former Speaker of the
House, Tom Foley.
He was a glowing example, an icon of what it means to be
a man for others. His decades of service to his home State
of Washington, and to our great Nation, will be long
appreciated by those whose lives are forever blessed by
his life's work and dedication.
May Your angels come to greet our beloved Tom, and may
those who mourn him here be consoled with the knowledge
that for those who love You, everything is turned to good.
Amen.
MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
FOR
THOMAS STEPHEN FOLEY
March 6, 1929-October 18, 2013
Courtesy EA Photography, Anaheim, CA
Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church
1357 East Capitol Street SE
Washington DC 20003
October 25, 2013
Rev. Msgr. Charles Pope, Pastor
Rev. Fr. Michael Bryant, Concelebrant
Thomas Stephen Foley was born in Spokane, Wash., March 6,
1929; the son of Judge Ralph and Helen Higgins Foley. His
inspiration for a life of public service came early,
bolstered by discussions around his family dinner table
and his education at Gonzaga Preparatory School in
Spokane, Wash. (1946), Gonzaga University and the
University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. (A.B. 1951,
J.D. 1957). As an appointed deputy prosecuting attorney in
Spokane County (1958), Mr. Foley said he had more power
there than any other time in his life. The use of that
power was tempered by the example of his father who, as a
Superior Court judge for Spokane County, was lauded for
his evenhandedness and courtesy.
Mr. Foley was also a lawyer in private practice;
professor, Gonzaga University Law School, Spokane, Wash.,
1958-1959; an appointed assistant attorney general, State
of Washington, 1960; and assistant chief clerk and special
counsel of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs
of the United States Senate, 196l-1963. He was elected as
a Democrat to the Eighty-ninth and to the fourteen
succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1965-January 3, 1995);
chairman, Committee on Agriculture (Ninety-fourth through
Ninety-sixth Congresses); majority whip (Ninety-seventh
through Ninety-ninth Congresses); majority leader (One
Hundredth and One Hundred First Congresses); Speaker of
the House of Representatives (One Hundred First through
One Hundred Third Congresses); awarded the title Knight
Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in
1995; Ambassador to Japan, 1997-2001; Germany gave him its
Order of Merit; France, membership in the Legion of Honor;
and Japan, the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia
Flowers, Grand Cordon. He died on October 18, 2013, in
Washington, D.C.
Mr. Foley was married in 1968 in Columbo, Ceylon to
Heather S. Strachan, his unpaid Chief of Staff throughout
his life. Heather survives him as does a sister, Maureen,
and her husband Richard Latimer of Santa Rosa, California;
and their children Elizabeth Ann Garbocci of Ukiah,
California; Kathleen Ely of Martinez, California; Carolyn
Latimer of Santa Rosa, California; John Latimer of Elk
Grove, California; and Mark Latimer of Petaluma,
California; a sister-in-law Jill Penelope Strachan and her
partner Jane Hoffmann.
ORDER OF MASS
Words by Robert Greenstein
Entrance Hymn--Amazing Grace
Opening Rites
Old Testament Reading Ecclesiastes 3, 1-11 Jill P. Strachan
Responsorial Psalm Pss. 23 Kathy Richburg, Cantor
New Testament Reading I Corinthians 13, 1-13 Robert Shrum
Gospel Reading John 14, l-6 Deacon Richard Walker
Eulogy Monsignor Charles Pope
General Intercessions Response: Lord, hear our prayer
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Altar and Gifts
Gift Bearers Joseph Powell
Snow Juanpere
Offertory Song: Handel Kathy Richburg, Cantor
``Come Unto Me''
Communion Hymn: Kathy Richburg, Cantor
``I Am the Bread of Life''
``Ave Maria''
Final Commendation and Farewell
Recessional: Bach ``Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring''
Thanks and Acknowledgement
The family of Thomas S. Foley would like all of you to
know how grateful they are for your gifts, support,
visits, and cards during this time of loss. Your
expressions, help and concern are a remarkable testament
to the full life Tom Foley led and the number of people he
touched during his long years of public service. The
family hopes his legacy will not wither or fade.
Thank you.
Courtesy Spokesman Review
Bob Greenstein. Heather, thank you for asking me to speak
today about one of the most decent people I have ever met.
I am honored to be here.
Tom Foley was a giant. I'm not referring to his physical
stature, although he was surely a tall and imposing
figure.
Nor am I referring just to his extensive and far-
reaching policy accomplishments, which I will speak about
in a minute and which improved the lives of literally tens
of millions of people all over this country.
I'm really referring, most of all, to him as a human
being. He was a giant of a person.
Indeed, I think his personal qualities were a key part
of what made him so effective as a legislator. He was the
epitome of decency. He was always willing to listen to and
consider the views and concerns of others, regardless of
their background, their party, or their politics. Indeed,
he sought out other views and perspectives. He felt a
strong sense of responsibility to delve deeply into
issues, educate himself thoroughly about them from every
angle, and find and pursue the best course for the
country. For all of these reasons, he was enormously
respected, and enormously trusted, across the political
spectrum--in a way that virtually no one in this town is
today.
I first got to know Tom in the 1970s through his work to
reduce hunger and malnutrition. Medical teams had gone to
poor areas, especially in the Deep South and Appalachia,
in the 1960s, and they found shocking conditions,
including rates of hunger-related diseases among children
like those in some Third World countries.
Our policymakers responded, and they made striking
progress. George McGovern and Bob Dole received lots of
attention for their work on this in the Senate. But, even
though it's less well known, the pioneering work that Tom
did in the House of Representatives was every bit as
consequential. And his task was often more challenging in
writing landmark legislation and steering it through the
more conservative House.
The results of this work were stunning. The medical
teams that found such shocking conditions in the late
1960s went back to the same poor areas after Tom and his
colleagues had done their work, and the doctors found
dramatic improvement. Child malnutrition had become rare.
As the doctors wrote: ``In the Mississippi Delta, in the
coalfields of Appalachia and in coastal South Carolina . .
. visitors ten years ago could quickly see large numbers
of stunted, apathetic children with swollen stomachs and
the dull eyes and poorly healing wounds characteristic of
malnutrition.''
The doctors then observed that such children had now
become rare. And the doctors gave the main credit to the
legislation that Tom had helped to write and to enact.
That history points up another Foley trademark. He
worked behind the scenes to get results without calling
attention to himself.
How rare it was--and is--to have as gifted and far-
sighted a political leader, for whom it was virtually
never about him. It was always about the issues and about
his colleagues, both on and off Capitol Hill, with whom he
worked so collegially. When he became Speaker of the
House, his main focus continued to be, first and foremost,
what was best for the country and his fellow Americans,
not what was best for him or his party in the next
election. How fortunate we were that America had such a
leader.
He was a man of courage, and it was courage that
explains his defeat in 1994 after 30 years in the House
that he loved. He stood up and helped lead on two very
tough issues, even though he knew that it would hurt him
on Election Day--support for an assault weapons ban and
opposition to term limits. He felt that it was his duty to
lead rather than to hedge in order to cover himself
politically.
He was also the most knowledgeable Member of Congress I
have ever known. With his deep intellectual curiosity, his
brilliant mind, and his broad sense of responsibility, he
delved into issues, and he amassed a depth of knowledge
and understanding of them that was unequaled in his time
and hasn't been equaled since.
One day I was walking up the steps to the House Chamber
at a time Members were about to vote on a complex issue--
an issue that Tom was not closely associated with. About a
dozen Members were walking up those steps when, suddenly,
they turned and walked to a corner of the steps, where Tom
was standing. They had spotted him, and they immediately
asked him to explain the issue on which they were about to
vote, to outline the pro's and con's. They knew that he
had done his homework and, of course, he gave them what
they needed.
In a column about Tom last week, the eminent journalist
Al Hunt wrote about the time when Al was a young reporter
covering the farm bill for the first time in the 1970s. He
was baffled by some of the intricate farm policy issues,
and he asked Tom about them. Tom gave him such a lucid,
balanced, pithy summary of the issues that Al adopted the
summary as his own and used it in his story. Al wrote that
it was the one time in his career that he might have been
accused of plagiarism--but that there was no way that he
could improve on Tom's lucid, fair, balanced explanation
of the issues.
I'm sure that many of you have read numerous
remembrances of Tom over the past week. They spoke of his
integrity, his thoughtfulness, his learnedness, his
respect for Members of both parties, his graciousness and
bipartisanship, and his willingness to go the extra mile--
or many extra miles--to secure the best achievable policy
outcome, even if it meant sacrificing a partisan
advantage.
Despite all of the demands on him, he spent countless
hours patiently teaching Members, staff, journalists, and
others how to analyze issues, how to look at them from
several sides, and how to secure the best achievable
results. He was a mentor to many, from other Members to
young people just starting out; I know, as I was lucky
enough to be one of them even though, at the time, I was a
young and very green staffer first at a small nonprofit
and then at the Agriculture Department. I still think
often about the many lessons that Tom taught me and others
in the ensuing years about not only how to approach
issues, but how to conduct ourselves honorably in trying
to achieve better policies.
Above all, Tom loved the House of Representatives as an
institution. No one worked harder or more effectively than
he did to make it function in real life, not just on
paper, so it would be worthy of the deepest respect.
Indeed, Tom revered legislative bodies in general. Tom
Mann, the eminent scholar at the Brookings Institution,
told me yesterday that Tom Foley received the highest
honors from at least six foreign countries, in part for
his work in helping their legislative bodies function
better as well.
A few days ago, Bob Michel, the Republican leader of the
House while Tom was Speaker, wrote the following about
Tom: ``His decency, his honesty and integrity, and his
great skill as a legislator are the hallmark of what
citizens hope to have in their public servants.''
I had the privilege of being able to talk to Tom for the
last time 15 days ago. When I brought up his tremendous
accomplishments in sharply reducing hunger and
malnutrition for tens of millions of people over the
years, he, modest to the end, waived away the credit. He
would only accept credit when I mentioned others with whom
he had worked on this. ``Yes,'' he said, ``we were a great
team.''
Speaking of team, it's impossible to think of Tom
without thinking of Heather by his side, helping him in so
many ways over so many years. I also can't help but think
of their companion, their beloved dog Alice.
To be sure, Thomas S. Foley is no longer with us
physically. But, in a way, he lives on inside all of us.
We will never forget his decency, his kindness, and the
wisdom he imparted to us. We will never forget what he
meant to the country, and to our own lives.
His was a life truly worth celebrating. Today, at a time
of deep political cynicism, his life stands out as a
beacon that reminds us, that shows us, that this country
can produce dedicated and effective leaders who make this
Nation a much better place for millions upon millions of
their fellow Americans, and who truly achieve greatness.
Courtesy EA Photography, Anaheim, CA
Memorial Service for
Thomas Stephen Foley
March 6, 1929-October 18, 2013
St. Aloysius Church
330 E. Boone Avenue
Spokane, WA
November 1, 2013
Prelude
Dr. Janet Satre Ahrend, Organist
Gonzaga University Concert Choir
Dr. Timothy Westerhaus, conductor
Anna Frisch, student conductor
``Simple Gifts''
arr. Dale Warland
``Calling My Children Home''
arr. Joseph Jennings
Presentation of the Colors
ROTC Cadets
Please stand
Procession
Cross Bearer
Candle Bearers
Flower Bearers
Kathleen Ely, Sally Jackson, Betty Lukins
Assisting Priests
The Reverend: Richard Case, S.J., Stephen Kuder, S.J.,
Greg Vance, S.J., Bernard Coughlin, S.J.,
Frank Costello, S.J.
Presider
The Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich, S.T.D.
Procession Song: ``For All the Saints''
Wm. W. How
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who you by faith before the world confessed,
Your Name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one within your great design.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon to the loyal faithful comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of Paradise so blest.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on his way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of heav'n streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Welcome
Fr. Richard Case, S.J., Pastor, St. Aloysius Parish
Opening Prayer
Bishop Blase Cupich, Diocese of Spokane
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Old Testament, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
H.T. Higgins
Please be seated
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23
Refrain: ``Shepherd Me O God, beyond my wants,
beyond my fears, from death into life.''
Sherry Fischer, Cantor, St. Aloysius Parish
Steve Schaubel, Pianist, St. Aloysius Parish
Jazz Choir, Gonzaga Preparatory School
Eric Moe, Trumpet, Spokane Symphony
Cheryl Carney, Cello, Gonzaga University
Second Reading: New Testament,
2nd letter of Paul to Timothy 4:6-8
John Latimer
Gospel Acclamation (sung): Celtic Alleluia
Please stand
Gospel Reading: John 14:1-6
Greg Vance, S.J., Superior, Manresa Community,
Gonzaga Preparatory School
Homily
Steve Kuder, S.J., Rector of the Jesuit Community at
Gonzaga University
Please be seated
Prayers of the Faithful
Thayne McCulloh, President of Gonzaga University
and Al Falkner, President of Gonzaga Preparatory School
Please stand
Speakers
Introduced by Senior Judge Justin Quackenbush
Please be seated
Congregational Hymn
``America the Beautiful''
Please stand
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
Our Common Prayer
The Lord's Prayer
Remarks and Final Blessing
Bishop Blase Cupich
Recessional
Song: ``Lord of All Hopefulness''
Jan Struther (1931)
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares can destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the
lathe,
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day
Organ Postlude
Please silence mobile devices.
No flash photography.
Reception to follow in the Cataldo Hall Globe Room
Thomas Stephen Foley represented the best of Eastern
Washington and our nation--and perhaps the best of a
bygone era, the latter half of the 20th century. His
decency, fairness and commitment to bipartisan politics
are legendary. And the source of his values is no mystery:
Tom learned from his father Ralph Foley, who gave a
lifetime of service to Spokane County.
Tom Foley was born on March 6, 1929, in Spokane,
Washington. Ralph Foley, a Gonzaga graduate and first in
his family to attend college, served as Spokane County
prosecutor in the 1930s, then became a superior-court
judge. Helen Foley, Tom's mother, was a teacher. Foley
grew up during the Great Depression, and in ``Honor in the
House,'' co-written by Foley and Jeff Biggs, Foley recalls
his father explaining why lines of men stood waiting for
the coffee and sandwiches that the sisters handed out
behind Sacred Heart Hospital.
As thousands of Spokane children have done, Tom spent
several summers at the YMCA's Camp Reed. He graduated from
Gonzaga Prep in 1946, then developed into a national-
caliber debater at Gonzaga University. During college, he
worked summers at the Kaiser Aluminum mill, where he first
learned of the lives and concerns of working people. He
transferred to the University of Washington as a senior,
and always acclaimed the value of his Jesuit education.
After earning his A.B. in 1951 and J.D. from the
University of Washington School of Law in 1957, Foley
taught constitutional law at Gonzaga School of Law in
1958-59.
He began his political career as an assistant state
attorney general, and in 1961 moved to the other
Washington as special counsel to Washington Senator Henry
M. ``Scoop'' Jackson. His mentor urged him to run for
Congress in 1964. It was a landslide year for Democrats
and Foley won. He was 35. Foley held a reception for the
man he'd defeated, Walt Horan, a 22-year veteran of the
House. This was an early sign of Foley's passion for
fairness and compromise. Reflecting Eastern Washington's
strengths, Foley gained committee assignments in
agriculture and the interior.
In 1968, Tom Foley wed Heather Strachan. The pair had met
in Scoop Jackson's office; they married in Ceylon, with
elephants and fanfare. Heather became her husband's
indispensable advisor and assistant; and Foley rose
steadily within the U.S. House of Representatives. Within
10 years of his election, he assumed chairmanship of the
Agriculture Committee. He was 45 and the youngest member
to chair a major committee since 1900. Majority whip,
majority leader, and, in June 1989 during the One Hundred
First Congress--Speaker of the House.
After growing up in the rolling Palouse, after stretching
his young imagination in the wide-open reaches from
Davenport to Dayton, after caring for constituents from
Republic to Colfax--Tom Foley was the third most powerful
leader in the United States and the first speaker from
west of the Rocky Mountains.
Under his leadership, the House worked with order and
civility. Foley said his proudest achievements were farm
bills, hunger programs, civil liberties, environmental
legislation and civil rights bills. When he left Congress
in 1994, his reach was international. Queen Elizabeth II
awarded him the title Knight Commander of the British
Empire in 1995. From 1997 to 2001, he served as ambassador
to Japan.
Spokane's greatest son died on Oct. 18, 2013, in
Washington, D.C.
A man of intellect and graciousness, he retained his
international renown. The Guardian, Great Britain's
leading liberal newspaper, paid this tribute upon his
death: ``Tom Foley was the last House Speaker of a
vanished age, when compromise was not a dirty word on
Capitol Hill, when Congress functioned more or less as it
was meant to; and respect or even affection for one's
opponent was not regarded as a near-mortal sin. His
defining qualities were patience, civility and a sense of
measure.''
Thanks and Acknowledgment
The family of Thomas S. Foley would like to express its
gratitude to Gonzaga University, Gonzaga Preparatory
School and St. Aloysius Parish for their help in creating
and coordinating this service, and for their
gracious hospitality in providing a warm welcome
and reception to all who come to mourn and honor the
life and legacy of Tom Foley.
Thank You.
Stephen R. Kuder, S.J. Rector, Jesuit Community, Gonzaga
University. We've just heard that there is time for
everything under heaven: ``A time to give birth, and a
time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot the
plant. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to
mourn, and a time to dance.'' St. Paul today adds: ``A
time to compete well, and a time to finish the race.''
And here's Jesus with the bottom line: ``There is a time
to fear and a time to trust.'' And this seems to be Jesus'
message to us this morning: There is a time for
everything. And this is our time to move beyond the fear
we all harbor in the face of death and to trust God.
The bottom line of biblical faith is trust. Trust in
God. Whenever we see the words ``faith'' or ``belief'' in
the Bible, whether in the Hebrew or the Christian
Scriptures, we can't go wrong if we read ``trust.'' Faith
in God means trust that God is faithful to his promises.
Trust is what biblical faith is all about. Trust in a
faithful God.
Someone has taken the trouble to count all the times the
Bible admonishes us: ``Do not be afraid.'' The number
comes to about 350 times. The Bible is saying over and
over again: ``Trust God and do not fear!'' If trust God is
our choice, the question becomes: When are we going to do
it? When are we going to trust God? As the first resort or
the last? I heard a story of an elderly woman who was
greatly disturbed by her many troubles, both real and
imaginary. Finally she was told in a kindly way by her
family, ``Grandma, we've done all we can do for you.
You'll just have to trust God for the rest.'' A look of
utter despair spread over her face as she replied, ``Oh,
dear, has it come to that?'' Well, it always comes to
that, doesn't it, so we might as well begin with that!
Begin with trust in God! The way the Bible does.
But we may object that we are busy people. Very busy.
Busy with the law, with government, with politics, with
education. But beware--I'm told that the Chinese character
for busy also means heart killing. Busyness can become
heart killing. We can all do a body count.
So the Bible offers us a radical solution--trust God as
a child does its parent. Jesus says it: ``Unless you turn
and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom
of heaven.'' Psalm 131 shows us the way to this childlike
trust: ``Lord, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes
haughty. I do not busy myself with great matters, with
things too sublime for me. Rather, I have stilled my soul.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, weaned is my
soul. I trust in the Lord, now and forever!'' This is the
bottom line of biblical faith--Trust in the faithfulness
of God.
But Jesus addresses his disciples: Trust also in me for
life beyond death. He says in the Gospel today: ``In my
Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there
were not, would I have told you that I am going? And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and
take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.''
This is Jesus' promise to all of us: for life beyond
death, trust in me. And this is why we're here in church:
We're being invited to be still and are still moving into
the intensity of this promise. This promise which was made
to Tom Foley at his baptism and to us as well. After all,
that is why Jesus came in the first place.
Didn't he insist: ``I have come so that you might have
life and have it more abundantly''?
So how should we think of Jesus? Imagine Jesus as a
shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders: That's how the
first Christians in the catacombs, those underground Roman
cemeteries, portrayed Jesus in their wall paintings and
statues--Jesus as a shepherd. One statue shows him as a
young man, strong, well-muscled. With one hand he carries
a staff, with the other he seems to be clearing the way
ahead of him like a fireman coming out of a burning
building. Over his shoulders is a lamb symbolizing the
soul of the Christian who has fallen asleep in the Lord.
What an amazing portrayal of Jesus in full-rescue mode.
He's rescuing us from death, taking us all home to his
Father.
This is bedrock Christian teaching--Jesus comes as the
good shepherd and carries Thomas Stephen Foley to safety.
The Lord is his shepherd. And ours! This is why we moments
ago sang: ``Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my
fears, from death into life.'' We trust that Jesus is with
us in our deaths so that we may enter the fullness of
life.
James Whitcomb Riley has a poem in which he tells of the
death of a worker in a shop. He pictures his fellow
workers standing around on the day of his funeral talking
about him. One man, after muttering some usual things,
with tears in his eyes adds this:
When God made Jim, I bet you
He didn't do anything else that day
But jes' set around and feel good!
And can't we feel good today remembering this man? Don't
we know that God recognizes that goodness just as we do?
And on this day when the Church celebrates all saints, God
is watching the saints come marching in. And there among
them, straight and tall, Tom Foley.
Governor Jay Inslee. Heather and our friends, it is a
great honor to represent 6\1/2\ million Washingtonians in
honoring this great titan of democracy, Speaker Tom Foley.
In my time serving in the next door neighboring
district, I very quickly came to understand that America
has seldom been graced with a leader with such compassion
for his people and such unstinting commitment to a civil,
constitutional democracy.
I don't think you can point to another leader that we
have been blessed with in our Nation's history that
combines such a strong heart for his people with such a
strong backbone for constitutional democracy. That
combination of traits has borne us so well, in so many
different ways.
We know well that millions of people across the county
have food on their plates because of his tremendous
leadership, with Senator Dole and Senator McGovern, to
move the food stamp program forward. That was a national
success.
But his compassion for his people right here in Eastern
Washington is something I witnessed so much first hand
representing people in the Fourth District, next to his
Fifth.
Across this district you will see the monuments to his
compassion. From hydroelectric facilities at Grand Coulee,
to great opportunities for our tremendous wheat industry,
to the thing that struck home to me in the first 3 weeks
of my term in Congress, when a farmer up in the Okanogan,
an area that the Speaker used to represent before
redistricting, asked me what kind of Congressman I was. I
said, ``Well, I do my best.'' He said, ``Well, I'll tell
you what, Thomas Foley got me these teeth!'' And he popped
his teeth out, and said, ``Now that's a real
Congressman!''
This is a man of great compassion, and the Nation has
felt that.
I just want to comment about what I saw, that I hope and
I do believe Washingtonians and Americans understand, and
that was his commitment to civility and a constitutional
democracy. That type of commitment--people who know
anything about politics understand--takes courage on
occasion. I think people well understand his courage
during his last term, when he believed there was a
particular provision that, frankly, was extremely popular
at the time, of this term limits idea, that the Speaker
believed very strongly violated the U.S. Constitution. At
great risk to himself and a 30-year career, he stood up
for the U.S. Constitution and he was vindicated by the
Supreme Court that he was right. This provision that he
believed in, was constitutional, and people are well
recognizing that in that last 2 years of his career.
I want to tell you just another little story. If you go
to the Mission Ridge Ski Area, in one of their warming
huts, you'll see a Wenatchee World front page from 1965.
And one of the stories is about Mission Ridge opening.
Another story on the front page is ``Freshman
Congressman Thomas Foley votes against throwing Adam
Clayton Powell out of the U.S. House of Representatives.''
It was another vote extremely unpopular but standing up
for the principle that our people decide who represent us,
not the politicians in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This is a man who stood for the Constitution and
civility, from day one of his congressional career to the
last day of his last term, and all those 30 years in
between. That's why I say he was a titan of democracy!
That is why it is so heartwarming to see the Nation
embracing Heather, and I hope you can feel this Heather,
of the country recognizing that he really represented the
best that the State of Washington could offer. Heather, I
can tell you that these smiling eyes, and I love this
picture of the Speaker, those eyes are going to continue
to smile in our memories. Thank you.
Senator Patty Murray. Thank you all for being here today.
It's so nice to be in Spokane and see so many friends
here to celebrate the life of a man we all loved and
admired. Heather, we're all so honored to be with you
today, because you simply can't talk about Tom's life and
accomplishments without talking about you.
Everything he stood for and achieved--you did together--
and I'm so grateful to call each of you a friend.
Earlier this week, we celebrated Tom's life back in
Washington, DC. The service was held in a place called
Statuary Hall, which is just a few steps from the Capitol
rotunda. The reason we call it Statuary Hall is, of
course, the statues. Each State sends two of them to the
Capitol--two statues that speak to what each State
represents--their history and their identity.
As we gathered there last week, it seemed like such an
appropriate place to remember Tom, because Tom really
captured the best of Washington State. He embodied our
State's hard-working, honest, Western spirit. And for 30
years, just like the statues, we sent him all the way
across the country to represent us.
And once he was there, wow, did he represent us. From
his very first term, he wasted no time making his mark.
Before you knew it, the junior Congressman elected by
wheat farmers was the chairman of the Agriculture
Committee. He was majority whip, and then he was Speaker
of the House.
He was, all at once: the local judge's son who shook
every hand and answered every question, and a statesman in
the truest sense of the word. He was the person who
brought the World's Fair to Eastern Washington. He was an
honest consensus-builder who Republicans and Democrats
both trusted, and he gained stature not because of a
relentless thirst for power, but instead, because he was
fundamentally decent, because he listened, and because he
had a common, personal touch.
So it was no surprise that earlier this week, as we
gathered in Statuary Hall, our country's most powerful
figures lined up to honor him: Presidents of the United
States, both Republicans and Democrats; Speakers of the
House, Republicans and Democrats; foreign dignitaries,
former colleagues, and even political opponents. Because
even though Tom just thought of himself as the Congressman
from Spokane, he was one of them.
He was a brilliant, courageous leader who belonged in
the halls of power and foreign palaces, but at the very
same time, he also belonged here in Spokane, with the
family and friends and neighbors he represented.
That's what I'll remember about him. I'll remember him
as one of us. I'll remember him as someone I looked up to,
literally, it seemed like a couple of feet, when I first
came to Congress. And I'll remember him as the powerful
Speaker of the House who immediately called me, the brand-
new, back-bench Senator who'd just been elected. Not
because he had to, but just because I was from Washington
State, and so was he.
Thank you.
Senator Maria Cantwell. I am honored to be here today at
St. Aloysius with friends, colleagues, Spokane residents
and fellow speakers to pay tribute to a great American.
A great American who just happened to grow up at 505 E.
12th Avenue, Spokane, WA.
Tom Foley, son of Spokane, was a dedicated legislator,
skillful leader, advisor to Presidents, and trusted
diplomat.
He led our country in implementing important legislation
like the Clean Air Act, the 1992 Energy Policy Act, and
the Family and Medical Leave Act. And he delivered for the
Fifth District of Washington--improving the Grand Coulee
Dam, promoting Fairchild Air Force Base and really making
his mark in agriculture.
He chaired the House Agriculture Committee for 6 years,
helping to modernize the farm and food stamp programs, and
passing legislation to reduce trade barriers to American
agricultural products around the world.
As one of his former staff said, ``Tom Foley knew so
much about agriculture he could write a farm bill at the
drop of a hat, on the back of a matchbox cover.''
He was the son of Spokane--a young man who went to
Washington, DC, with an incredible amount of intellect,
common sense, and ample good manners, who seemed to easily
figure out how to make Washington, DC, work.
Tom Foley had the winning combination. Yes, he had a
good mentor, Scoop Jackson. But how did he do it? He rose
to the highest position in the House of Representatives,
Speaker of the House, a feat only 56 Americans had
previously achieved in the history of our country. And he
did this while representing a district for 30 years that
was farther away from Washington, DC, than 98 percent of
his colleagues. A district more geographically
challenging--larger in square miles--than 94 percent of
his colleagues.
How did he do it? In my opinion it was Tom Foley charm.
National political reporter Joel Connelly once reported
that Tom, on a small plane, was forced to make an
emergency landing in a wheatfield. Tom didn't miss a beat.
He just got out of the plane and introduced himself to the
startled farmer: ``I'm Congressman Foley. Pleased to meet
you.''
A few years ago Tom and I were together in Spokane for
the JJ dinner that honored Tom for his lifetime
accomplishments. We had both traveled from Washington, DC.
By 9 p.m. that night, Spokane time, midnight DC time, I
was exhausted. But Tom, at 77 years old, proceeded to get
up and give a tour de force speech.
That night was quintessential Tom Foley, because for me
the essence of Tom Foley was great oration, delivered with
a constant aura of statesmanship and a wry slice of Irish
humor.
As a new House Member, I loved listening to his stories.
About how Tip O'Neill had lost his election for Cambridge
City Council because he had forgotten to ask his friend,
teacher, and neighbor, Mrs. Sullivan, for her vote. Or how
President Lyndon Johnson had mistakenly called Congressman
Thomas S. Foley, when he was really looking for Rhode
Island Congressman John Fogarty.
Tom loved to make light in the tense moments that often
come with politics. It was like he was reminding himself
of the incredible life he was living.
One of my favorite stories was of a House colleague who
came running onto the House floor and asked Tom Foley if
there were any reasons to vote no against the bill under
consideration. Tom provided several. As his colleague
proceeded to vote no, Foley voted yes. His anxious
colleague came running back, ``Why are you voting yes,
when you told me to vote no?'' Tom Foley replied, ``I
didn't tell you to vote no. You asked me if there were any
reasons to vote no.'' And then with that wry Foley grin,
he said, ``But you never asked me for the reasons to vote
yes.''
Tom knew the intricacies of debate and the power of
information. Part of the success came from his incredible
staff, who fed him information. Today they are leaders in
business, government, and community service throughout our
State.
And there would have been no Speaker Foley without
Heather Foley.
I remember one important meeting of the Committee on
Committees where the highest ranking members and chairmen
convened for hours to pore over committee assignments, a
make or break moment for new Members. As the business
meeting was winding down late, close to midnight, Speaker
Foley continued to hold court--regaling Members with
stories of political lore and good old-fashioned Irish
humor. Heather proceeded to walk into the room and with
one intonation of her voice said, ``Thomas!!!'' I never
saw the Speaker move so fast. He was out of the room in
seconds. Every sailboat needs a rudder and for the Foley
team that was Heather. She was there for all the voyages.
Yes. Thomas S. Foley was an orator and statesman.
According to the dictionary: A statesman is usually a
politician, diplomat, or other notable public figure who
has had a long and respected career at the national or
international level. There should be an asterisk next to
the definition--see Thomas S. Foley, Washington.
America needs more Tom Foleys.
That night at the JJ dinner, when Tom Foley was honored
for his service to his district and to our country, Sally
Jackson, a longtime Spokane Valley activist summed it up
the best. She said, ``Tom Foley, you are an absolute
wonder and it is so important to me that the legend of Tom
Foley lives in the Northwest forever.'' Sally, I couldn't
agree with you more. He is a legend. It's important to me
too that his story lives in the Northwest and the whole
country, forever.
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Good morning. To the
Senators and Governor of our great State; to the friends
and family of Speaker Foley; to the former mayor of
Spokane, who also happens to be my wonderful father-in-
law, Dave Rodgers, and to Tom's greatest adviser,
confidant, and lifelong companion, his wife Heather, I am
proud to stand beside you today to remember an
extraordinary life.
We remember a man whose 84 years on this Earth were
marked by service, by humility, and by a deep compassion
for the people and country he so fiercely loved.
We remember a man who championed principle over party;
patience over haste; and people over politics.
And we remember a man who did what he thought was right,
not what he thought was easy.
As we come together today, bound by a shared reverence
for this great man, I am reminded of the words of General
George Patton, Jr.: ``It is foolish to mourn the men who
died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.''
So, as we celebrate a full life--and the extraordinary
man who lived it--let us thank God for the impact Tom
Foley had on this world.
Not only was he the first person west of the Rockies to
serve as Speaker of the House--but he brought his Spokane
roots all the way from one Washington to another for over
three decades.
Earlier this week, a celebration of his life was held at
the U.S. Capitol--and not a single person remarked on his
life without mentioning his love of Eastern Washington.
After all, his leadership helped transform Fairchild Air
Force Base into one of the strongest military bases in the
country; he modernized Highway 395; he shared his
contagious love of the 'Zags and the Huskies; he
memorialized his parents with a brand-new library right
here on the campus of his alma mater; and he worked with
Mayor Dave Rodgers back in 1974 to bring the World's Fair
to Spokane, which we now enjoy as the beautiful Riverfront
Park.
Even in his death, he has brought Eastern Washington
alive.
He has inspired me--not only in his death, but in the
way he so boldly lived his life--to represent the people
of Eastern Washington with honor and conviction and
principle.
He reminds us all that our shared love of Washington
transcends party politics.
In our many visits before the State of the Union, ``Big
Tom'' would say to me, ``Cathy, I know the decisions
you're asked to make in Congress might be difficult ones,
but if you do what you believe in your heart is right for
the people back at home, then I know goodness will
triumph.''
Mr. Speaker, I wish I could tell you today that you were
right.
One of my favorite stories about the former Speaker was
when his plane made an emergency landing on one of our
Northeastern Washington wheatfields. As the plane
descended, several farmers, busy tilling the wheat, ran up
to the airplane--and out climbed the immaculately dressed,
64" giant. Without hesitation, he extended his hand to
the farmer and said, ``Congressman Foley. Glad to meet
you!''
To Tom Foley, a stranger was simply a friend he hadn't
met yet.
We will remember his open mind, his infectious
personality, and the classic wingtips he wore, even on the
farm!
We will carry with us the lessons he left behind: that
you cannot understand a person unless you take the time to
listen to them; that you should always put country over
party, no matter the issue; and that even a man who
decides at the very last minute to run for Congress and
runs out of gas en route to file his candidacy can go on
to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
I've thought a lot about how to measure a life, of how
to capture a whole lifetime in just a few words.
But true giants never leave us.
Tom Foley will live forever in our sense of wonder, in
our compassion for strangers, in the boldness with which
we live our own lives, and in the way we love others.
He reminds us that a full life is not just about what
you do with your years on this Earth, but about how you
make people feel long after you've left it.
Mr. Speaker, I may not be able to pull off wingtips in
the wheatfields quite as well as you did, but as long as I
serve the people of Eastern Washington, I promise to make
you proud.
Thank you.
Norm Dicks, Representative from Washington. It's great to
be here with so many friends.
Heather, Tom would have loved the Washington, DC, event
and he would have loved this event today. I got to know
Tom Foley when he came to the University of Washington Law
School in 1965. He was part of a new class that was
elected in 1964 in the Johnson landslide. Brock Adams;
Lloyd Meads; Floyd Hicks, my predecessor; and Tom Foley
all came to the law school, each to make a speech to the
law school students. Right then and there I knew this was
a brilliant man, a man of great conviction. When we went
down to the reception area, he said, ``Young man, I notice
you have filtered cigarettes. Could I have one?''
We both quit, many times. Heather, we quit many times!
It was just great to be able to work with and rely on
Tom Foley. I can remember when he and Phil Burton and
others ran the Democratic Study Group. One of the things
they really wanted to work on was to try and take the farm
bill and combine it with the food stamp program so that
Members from large cities would vote for both the farm
bill and the food stamp program which has been so critical
to people in this country. Tom was the person who mastered
this and got the job done.
One time I had been working with Sid Morrison who's here
today and others on the Puyallup Indian Land Claim
Settlement. It happened that the day that Tom Foley became
Speaker, he was going to go down and have lunch with
President Bush.
So Foley was up there on the dais--he loved to preside
over the House of Representatives, and always in a fair
and impartial way. So I went up there and I said, ``Tom, I
understand you're going to be downstairs with the
President for lunch. Would you ask him to sign the
Puyallup Indian Land Claim Settlement bill?''
So 4 or 5 hours later I came back and Tom Foley was
presiding over the House again. I went up to him and I
asked, ``Well, what did he say?'' He said, ``He can't
pronounce it. But he'll sign it.'' And that's how we got
the Puyallup Indian Land Claim Settlement through.
Timing--it was always one of Tom's best attributes.
Tom was well liked in the Democratic Caucus. There were
always some people who would be somewhat critical, but he
could sit down and reason with people and explain very
difficult issues. I think that was one of his greatest
attributes. He was always willing to sit and tell stories
and give people his time. He would come into the
Democratic caucus and the Cloakroom and sit there with the
Members for 20-30 minutes during the day so that people
would have a chance to have access to him. I thought that
was one of his most wonderful attributes.
Bob Michel was the Republican leader when Tom became
Speaker and they had an amazing relationship. Tom said to
Bob Michel, ``We'll have a meeting each week and one day
I'll come to your office and the next time you'll come to
my office.'' Bob Michel wrote a great op-ed in the
Washington Post that talked about the trust between these
two individuals. They worked together and they both left
the Congress at the same time, but they had an amazing
relationship and got a lot done. Tom always believed, as
did Senators Magnuson and Jackson, once the elections are
over, Democrats and Republicans should work together in
the best interests of the American people. I tried to
follow in that tradition myself. Tom's civility and his
commitment to bipartisanship was really great.
We talked about the World's Fair in 1974 and this was
like the biggest thing that was ever going to happen in
Spokane. Tom was very committed to getting the legislation
through the House of Representatives, but he was
struggling a little bit, having difficulty. And at the
same time Warren Magnuson and Scoop Jackson were getting
the bill through the Subcommittee on Foreign Relations,
then the full Committee and putting out press releases;
and then it would go to the Senate floor and another press
release.
Finally I get a call from Tom and he was exasperated. He
said, ``Every time you guys put out a press release, the
press then comes over and asks me, `How are things going
in the House?' and I have to tell them, `Nowhere.' ''
So finally we get down to the end of the session and
we're working on the appropriation and Senator Magnuson is
in a conference committee on the commerce-state-justice
appropriations bill. And Tom Foley is on the House floor
and a miracle happens. He gets the bill passed by
unanimous consent.
Later he told me this story. As Sid (Morrison) and Doc
(Hastings) and Cathy (McMorris Rodgers) know, Republicans
in those days in the minority had an objector, a person
who would stand up and object. But with Tom Foley's great
Irish luck, this person who was going to be the objector
left the floor. And the reason he left the floor was
because his assistant had become the person in the
Commerce Department in charge of the Spokane World's Fair!
And so he had called his former boss and said ``Whatever
you do, get off the floor and let Tom Foley pass this
bill.'' So Tom Foley stood up, got unanimous consent, and
the bill passed.
So Tom came running down--it's the only time I ever saw
Tom run--toward the middle of the Capitol to the room
where they had the conference committees on
appropriations. He came running down and said, ``Norm,
tell the Senator I got it authorized.'' I said, ``Tom,
I'll tell him as soon as I can.'' And that is the story on
the Spokane World's Fair.
That project really did do so much here. Tim Thompson,
one of my former staffers who is here with me, and I went
out and took a look at the Centennial Trail. This was a
project Tom and I worked on together.
I just had the greatest affection and respect for Tom.
He also helped me in my career. He came over during my
first campaign and helped me get elected to Congress. I
had five opponents in the Democratic Party. When he got
there, he said, ``I thought you told me you were
unopposed.'' ``Well, Tom, I thought your intelligence was
better than that!''
He also helped me by putting me on the Intelligence
Committee where I served for 8 years. And he put me on
with the goal that I would become chairman. Well, that's
when 1994 occurred, so I didn't become chairman; I became
the ranking Democratic member.
Heather, you did such a fantastic job with Tom and
worked with him so closely. Through this long, difficult
illness he had, you were there and did an amazing job. And
we're just pleased to be with you today here in Spokane,
Washington, where it all started.
Thank you.
Michael Price, Superior Court Judge. My name is Michael
Price and I have the difficult task of speaking to all of
you on behalf of Tom's family and trying to sum up his
extraordinary life in a few short minutes, and I can
assure you that is an impossible task. So, rather than a
speech that tells all of you about Tom's incredible life
of service to this country and this State, we decided as a
family to tell you a little about Tom from our perspective
and perhaps a few things about him that you did not know.
Understanding that to us, Tom was much more than a
Congressman, or House Speaker, or Ambassador to Japan; to
us, he was an uncle or a brother, a cousin, a brother-in-
law, a husband.
Certainly to truly know Tom Foley and the great man that
he became, you need to understand where he came from.
Tom's mother, my Aunt Helen, was a strong, hard-working,
opinionated schoolteacher whose parents came here to
Eastern Washington in the late 19th century from Ireland.
Aunt Helen was taught the virtues of hard work and the
importance of loyalty to her family.
Helen met and married Ralph Foley and Tom arrived in
1929. My uncle Ralph was a lawyer, then a prosecuting
attorney, and in 1940 he became a superior court judge, a
position he held until 1974. He was a very thoughtful and
reflective man, extraordinarily courteous and polite. As
Heather pointed out at Tom's service on Tuesday, it was
said that my Uncle Ralph was so diplomatic and so
considerate that he could sentence a defendant to death
and the defendant would say, ``Thank you, Judge Foley.''
As a kid, I remember Aunt Helen and Uncle Ralph would come
over to our house all the time to visit. It would usually
be on a Sunday and it was always the same routine. My mom
would get tea and some cookies and my Aunt Helen would
start to talk and she would talk and she would talk and
then she would talk some more and about every 10 minutes
or so, she would look up at Ralph and say, ``Isn't that
right, Ralph?,'' and he would say, ``That's right,
Helen,'' and then my Aunt Helen would talk some more.
Now we all hear in the news stories about somebody in
Washington, DC, who engaged in a seemingly endless
filibuster. Well, I'll tell you what, when I was 10 years
old, I didn't know what a filibuster was called, but I
know now that my Aunt Helen invented it.
These are the two amazing people who raised Tom, who
taught him to stand firm on his beliefs and to always be
loyal to your family and to your country and to really
listen to what someone is saying.
Tom was loyal to his family and he always gave back to
us. Just like he gave to all of you. Tom always made a
point to stay in touch with his parents, his family, and
if he was in Spokane, he would almost certainly drop by at
some point to see family. It might be to see my Uncle Hank
and Aunt Mary Lou or he would call or drop by to see my
mother. I vividly remember a day when I was a young and
precocious third grader and I went to answer the knock on
the front door. I opened the door and it was Tom Foley, at
which point I irritatingly yelled to my mother who was up
in the kitchen, ``Mom, it's Tom Foley, again.'' I don't
know what happened or what was discussed while Tom visited
with my mom, but I do remember exactly what happened after
he left.
All of us in the family remember the respect and
deference Tom always showed his parents, especially his
mother. Here's an example--many years ago, I was dating
this very nice girl and things seemed to be getting pretty
serious so I thought I better take her to meet Aunt Helen
and Uncle Ralph. I called and Uncle Ralph said, ``Come on
over, and by the way, Tom's in town so he can meet your
friend, too.'' So I drove over and Aunt Helen and Uncle
Ralph are there, but no Tom. And Aunt Helen started to
talk, and I was getting more nervous by the minute because
Aunt Helen was not inclined to wait to tell me if she
didn't like the girlfriend, she would just tell me then
and there, so we are getting ready to leave and Tom came
through the front door. I stood up to walk over to shake
his hand, but before I could, my Aunt Helen looked right
at Tom and said, ``We've all been waiting.'' And you know
it really didn't matter if Tom was the majority whip at
that point, he was in trouble.
Many families have a tragedy at one point or another
that they have to work through and my family is no
different. All of us were devastated when my mother was
killed in a plane crash in 1980 while traveling in India.
We didn't think we could go on. We didn't know what to do.
Then Tom arrived and stepped in and literally held my
family together when we felt like all had been lost.
When my beautiful cousin Shawn Higgins was taken from us
at only 29 years old, Tom was there, and even though he
had been up for 24 hours or more, he stayed with the
family until almost 3 in the morning praying the rosary
for Shawn. Tom was a man who deeply loved and cared for
his family, and he demonstrated that to us over and over
again. Nobody in the family really thought about Tom as a
Congressman or the Speaker of the House, but you know
sometimes it just could not be avoided.
Tom had been the Speaker for a few years, and we had a
giant Higgins family reunion which culminated with the
entire family traveling to Hartline, WA, where our family
roots are.
Tom and Heather came all the way from Washington, DC, to
be with us and we had such a great time, and as the bus
that my Uncle Hank had chartered for the family pulled up
at the Hartline Park, it literally looked like half the
town was there waiting for us. All those folks weren't
there to welcome the Higginses back to Hartline. They were
there to see Tom. I remember how Tom and Heather were such
good sports about it all. They posed for pictures and
signed autographs and Tom took the time to talk to, I'm
quite sure, every single resident of Hartline, WA. Toward
the end of the day, Heather and my Aunt Mary Lou and Tom's
sister Maureen and I took a walking tour of Hartline. We
went to the old house, we looked at the grain elevators
and in about 6 minutes, we had pretty much seen the entire
town. It was so nice to talk to Heather and Maureen and
Mary Lou, and we all got on the bus and headed back to
Spokane. As I sat down in the bus next to my youngest
daughter who was about 5 at that time, well, she waited
until we were down the road aways and she turned to me and
asked, ``Are you mad, Daddy?,'' and I said, ``No, Honey,
why would I be mad?,'' and she said, ``Because none of
those people wanted to take their picture with you.''
It never seemed like any of this went to Tom's head at
all. He really was a man who literally would give you the
shirt off his back, and by the way, that shirt would be
matched up with a perfect tie, sport coat and pocket
scarf. I had the pleasure of talking to my cousin H.T.
Higgins earlier this week, and we exchanged memories about
Tom and talked about the family. We agreed that no matter
how important Tom became on the world scene, he was
probably the most grounded and genuine person we had ever
known. He didn't take himself too seriously. The Tom we
all knew was really humble and unpretentious.
About 12 years ago, the U.S. District Courthouse in
downtown Spokane was renamed the Thomas S. Foley
Courthouse, and there was a very nice ceremony at the Fox
Theatre to honor Tom. Quite a few members of the family
came. My sister and I waited around a bit until the swarm
of people, who all wanted to congratulate Tom, dwindled
somewhat and then my sister mentioned to Tom what an
incredible honor this was to have the courthouse named
after him since Federal buildings were rarely, if ever,
named after a living person. To which Tom leaned over and
in a somewhat hushed voice said, ``I'm pretty sure they
thought I was already dead.''
That's the Tom Foley we knew. Never taking himself too
seriously, but at the same time, his commitment to this
State, this Nation, and from where I stand, his family,
was really quite remarkable.
A few years ago, I was flipping through the TV channels
one night and here was this interview with Tom. It was
just fascinating. The interviewer was asking Tom about all
the U.S. Presidents he had worked with over the years and
what his impressions were. Tom talked about working with
everyone from President Johnson through President Clinton
and he told that great story about President Johnson
hanging up the phone on him, because the White House
operator mistakenly got Tom on the phone instead of a
Congressman from Rhode Island, and Tom said the President
uttered a string of expletives at him that would make a
longshoreman blush.
Then the interviewer asked if Tom had ever worked with
President Kennedy and Tom said, ``No.'' He was elected to
Congress in 1964 after President Johnson took office. But
he was working for Senator Jackson during the Kennedy
administration and one day the Senator told Tom that he
was going over to the White House to meet with the
President and would Tom like to come along and Tom jumped
at the chance, and the next thing he knew he was standing
in the oval office with President John F. Kennedy.
The interviewer asked, ``What was that like, to meet
President Kennedy?,'' and Tom said the only way to
describe it was that it seemed like everyone in the room
was in black and white, and President Kennedy was in
Technicolor. Now it seems ironic that Tom himself would so
perfectly sum up how we saw him--a man who selflessly gave
to his Nation, to this State, and to his family. And who
we will always remember--in Technicolor.
Heather Foley. Thank you, Bishop Cupich. I so appreciate
your being here to honor and celebrate Tom's life. Thank
you so very much, Father Case, for your warm welcome. And
thank you so much, Father Kuder, for your Homily. Thank
you, Father Vance, for reading the Gospel. I have to also
thank our longtime friends, Father Coughlin and Father
Costello, who were so helpful to both of us over the
years. I think I must have called Father Costello
countless times to say we need an intern, please help! And
he always did. Thank you, President McCulloh and President
Falkner, for your prayers of the faithful.
And, of course, Judge Quackenbush is owed a special
thanks for organizing this memorial service. Without him
it wouldn't have happened. I so appreciate his help and
work.
I feel that today I am back in Spokane among old, old
friends. It's so nice to be back here. These friends
include Governor Inslee, Senator Patty Murray, Senator
Maria Cantwell, and Norm Dicks who spoke in Washington,
DC, and here in Spokane. You've all been wonderful friends
over the years. Thank you, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris
Rodgers, who recently wrote about the difficulties of
balancing life between Washington, DC, and the Fifth
District, and being a member of the leadership. I very
much appreciated her resolution celebrating Tom's
achievements.
Last, I want to thank family members Judge Michael Price
and John Latimer for their wonderful remarks. I learned a
great deal more about Tom and his family. I particularly
appreciated the characterization of his mother who
certainly could talk and had an eye for detail.
I want to say a few words about my husband. As you
probably know, I worked for him for years as an unpaid
staffer. I did not plan to do this when I married him in
1968. I had some vague idea that I might be a trial lawyer
or work in a law firm. I knew I couldn't be a lobbyist--
that was an obvious thing I couldn't do and didn't want to
do.
Somehow after I graduated from law school and passed the
bar, I yielded to my husband's complaints about this and
that in the office, so I would come in and help for a few
hours. Of course, the few hours turned into days, then
into weeks, then into months, then into years. Eventually
I did become his chief of staff; but before that I always
had some title, like assistant to the Congressman. I can't
quite remember what they all were, but I kind of worked my
way up!
At first, I was allowed to hire a secretary and then he
appropriated her as his appointments secretary. Then I was
allowed to induce a few other people to come work for us.
We had a great staff and we had a great time and we
learned so much.
Early on, anybody who knew him realized he was a
wonderful teacher. People have written to me since he died
to tell me how much he taught them. I can certainly say
the same for myself. I have always wondered how he knew so
many things. I can look back and say that his father
taught him about fairness, patience, and all the virtues
everyone else has mentioned today. And his mother
certainly taught him to be a Democrat. But I'm not sure
where his good judgment came from; maybe from all those
discussions with his father, maybe from his Jesuit
education. I have to say he just loved coming to visit
with the Jesuits here at Gonzaga--it was always a treat.
And when I got to come with him, I felt the same way.
I never really knew exactly how he knew to do the right
thing, say the right thing, and to be the kindest of all
men. Perhaps it was his honesty, his principles, and his
resolve to keep his word. I still don't know.
I think back on our almost 45 years together and I think
of the long meetings that perhaps best displayed his
ability to reason with people. One was in the late 1960s
in Spokane at Shadle Park High School. He accepted the
challenge of a man, whose name I believe was Virgil
Gunning, to defend his position on gun control. Mr.
Gunning was against every law that limited the use of guns
and claimed Tom was in support of every law to limit the
use of guns. He ran ads in the newspaper and on
television, and was able to attract an audience on a
weekday night of about 700 people. Tom stood on the stage
for 5\1/2\ hours in the evening and answered all of Mr.
Gunning's allegations. There were also endless questions
from the audience, and I remember Tom saying he was not
for repealing laws that limited a citizen's use of
cannons, rockets, and missiles in their backyards. At
first the audience was hostile but at the end Mr. Gunning
made one mistake. He had everyone stand up, and then he
asked them for money to defray the cost of renting the
high school's auditorium and the ads. The audience just
walked out! It was amazing.
I had spent a good deal of my life overseas at that
time. I had lived in Pakistan, Greece, and Egypt but I had
never functioned in a political environment. Even though I
had known Tom for 5 years, I had never watched him face a
big audience like that.
I was impressed, and I learned over the years that
watching Tom talk to so many people with endless patience
and understanding--it was just part of him. That's what he
did. I also learned so much from watching him talk to
Presidents and politicians on both sides of the House and
both sides of Capitol Hill. He was somehow able to walk
others through their demands and show them where they were
asking too much and where they might be right. He could
always see the balance of things. He was not afraid to
take a position that a constituent or a colleague might
oppose and explain why he felt the way he did. He was a
man of principle who was not afraid to compromise. He felt
there was honor in compromising.
And of course there were the stories. Always the
stories. You've heard some of them today. I think
sometimes I heard them too many times. But he loved
telling them and they were funny. I had the feeling
listening to President Clinton talk about him the other
day that Tom had told him all kinds of stories including
the ones about the Fifth District.
When Tom nearly lost the election in 1980, when
President Reagan was elected, I had never seen him so
happy to win. He had thought he was going to lose.
He was then chairman of the House Agriculture Committee
and I thought we would go back and he would be chairman
again. He had been chairman for 6 years; I knew all the
staff and we all worked well together. Well, imagine my
surprise when he didn't stay there; he moved up the ladder
and became the majority whip.
I have to say I was appalled. We had a much smaller
budget than with the House Agriculture Committee; the
quarters were without windows, except in his office. It
was cramped and it was a whole new life. I didn't know all
these people in the Capitol.
I had thought at the end of 1980 that I would go out and
get a real job, one that paid you! But, no, I should have
known better.
I should have known that this extraordinary man was
destined for extraordinary things, that there was still
more adventure for him to pursue and for me to come along
and watch. So, there I was and along I went. What a
journey! How lucky I was to be there to see him and help
him along the way.
I'm afraid I have kept you too long. Thank you so very
much for coming to salute the life of a great man.
Thank you.
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