House Proceeding 10-28-09 on Oct 28th, 2009 :: 3:50:55 to 3:57:00
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3:50:51 to 3:51:11( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: the future. mr. king: mr. speaker, i thank the gentleman for his remarks and i yield to the gentleman from oklahoma, mr. cole. mr. cole: i thank the gentleman for yielding, and i want to reflect just a moment as we all have on our good mutual friend, john mchugh. i didn't have the opportunity, obviously, to know him in new york.

3:50:55 to 3:57:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Tom Cole

3:51:12 to 3:51:32( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: i first got to know him as a politician in 1992, about the same time i got to know you, mr. king. and you know from the very beginning i was executive director of the national republican committee. john was running in a tumultuous year, a very challenging year for incumbents, a very low cusp in

3:51:33 to 3:51:54( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: the institution of congress and the politicses who engage in civic activities. and what i was rembering was how effortless john mchugh seem his viketry appear. and he did that because the people in his district knew him from long years of public service. and they recognized the quality and the integrity and the

3:51:55 to 3:52:15( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: character of the man. the fact that he's been re-elected eight times since that first election without ever having a serious contest is a testament -- to the excellence with which he represented his constituents and the high esteem in which he was held, frankly, not only by the people that he represented

3:52:16 to 3:52:36( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: but by the people in this institution. we all know john as a members member, someone who is incredibly thoughtful, incredibly thorough, incredibly bipartisan andncredibly gracious while still being amazingly effective in presenting an argument and a

3:52:37 to 3:52:57( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: point of view. i had the privilege of getting to know john not as a candidate but as a public official when i arrived in congress in 2003 and went to the armed services committee and found myself because i, too, represent a military district. you know, vice chairman on the personnel subcommittee.

3:52:58 to 3:53:18( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: what impressed me of his performance as chairman of that subcommittee was his incredible depth of knowledge about all military issues, but particularly his commitment to military families. i remember john taught me what's a very common saying on the armed services committee, you recruit a soldier but you retain a family, and he thought about those soldiers very deeply.

3:53:19 to 3:53:41( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: he understood the sacrifice he made, his acquaintans with, of course, the great 10th mountain division at fort drum, his wide travels and interaction wit the military personnel made him understand that it was a social unit as well as a fighting unit. and how you retained the

3:53:42 to 3:54:05( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: quality of life in an era of an all-volunteer army was crucial to retaining military soldiers. i grew up in a military family. he didn't want to leave but there simply weren't the benefits for your family that we now provide. john was a big part of moving

3:54:06 to 3:54:27( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: us toward the kind of support system for families that makes it possible for our soldiers to perform so effectively in the field. i, too, have had the opportunity to travel with john abroad, and i just have to say this as an american, not as a colleague, i couldn't think anyone i would rather have

3:54:28 to 3:54:48( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: represent us in a foreign he exemplifies the very best traditions of public service in this country, anhe always handles himself with such incredible grace and incredible wit, and he is so remarkably, you know, articulate when he's

3:54:49 to 3:55:10( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: expressing his points of view. i think the fact that he was chosen by president obama to be secretary of the army incredibly well of both of them. it tells you the manner in which john is regarded by members not only of his own party but the other party, and

3:55:11 to 3:55:34( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: it also tells you, frankly, you know, that the president has thought to profoundly in a bipartisan sense about foreign policy and cerinly about the mili recruit the best people he can find to provide the civilian leadership for our forces at a time of war. i can't think of anybody better to fulfill that task than john.

3:55:35 to 3:55:55( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: lot of reasons i'll miss john mchugh, but probably selfishly the best is he smokes a mean cigar. you know, not only that, he always looks like i always thought i'd like to look as a congressman. you know, john looks the part. he could be a movi congressman. you know, he's a handsome guy, he's extraordinarily well dressed.

3:55:56 to 3:56:16( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: and when he smokes that cigar he's so amazingly sophisticated. and by the way, he knows a lot about them. i just want to close by saying, it's been a great personal privilege and honor to serve with someone like john mchugh. and i wish every american had the opportunity to know that

3:56:17 to 3:56:37( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: congress is indeed populated by people like john. that they come here, he's not flamboyant, he's not the sort of person that, you know, is ever going to lose his temper or create a scene. he just does his job with excellence and professionalism and decency and courtesy every day.

3:56:38 to 3:56:59( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: and i can't think of an individual who is as knowledgeable or suited to lead the united states army as a civilian secretary in a time of war than john mchugh. so i want to thank his years of splendid service in this house, to frankly thank him a little bit early for his service to

3:57:00 to 3:57:02( Edit History Discussion )

Tom Cole: this country, because i will no