Honoring Helen Sewell on the occasion of her retirement from the House of Representatives and expressing the gratitude of the House for her many years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I, first of all, want to thank the distinguished chairman and the ranking member for their outstanding support of this legislation, and this legislation is extremely important because it sends a signal not just to our colleagues but to the country that this is an institution where we all work together in a very compatible way.

Oftentimes people who watch C-SPAN and people who read about the Congress think that we are filled with adversity, that we do not get along, and nothing could be further from the truth.

This is a great institution. I have had the pleasure of serving here now 19 years. I am in my tenth term, and I have met some wonderful people, people on both sides of the aisle, people who may disagree on the issues but are strong and close friends when we get together when we are not in session or when we have events that are important for this country.

But what makes this institution work are the staff, the people who work behind the scenes, the people who take down the minutes of what is said, the clerks, the people who record, the people who run the C-SPAN camera system, the people who run this institution of the building itself, the Architect of the Capitol and the employees. And while many members of the public do not get to see behind the scenes, there are in fact two Cloakrooms, one for each side of the aisle. Yet we are certainly welcome to go into either Cloakroom anytime. There is no prohibition, and I am sure Helen has served perhaps as many meals to Democrats as she has to Republicans.

And it is appropriate that we honor someone who has been with this institution for one-third of the history of this institution. Can we imagine that, Mr. Speaker? This woman served this country and this institution for a period of time that is equal to one-third of the history of this Nation and this institution. A woman who started following in her father's footsteps when she was a teenager, he would bring here down here to the Republican Cloakroom. Her father ran the Cloakroom where, during the hours that we were in session, Members can go back and take telephone calls. They can purchase a sandwich or a cup of soup. They can sit and chat. And Helen was always there for the past 71 years to provide an atmosphere of friendship, an atmosphere of positive reinforcement after Members of Congress from time to time would leave the well after having given lengthy speeches.

And she served during unbelievable times, starting with the Great Depression and serving in this institution when some of the great moments in our country's history were declared, when some of the greatest State of the Union speeches were made.

So she is a part and a legacy of what makes this institution great, and it is only appropriate that we honor her in this way because, in fact, Mr. Speaker, she served 71 years. There is no employee in the history of the Congress, including Members of the House or Senate, who has served more than Helen Sewell.

Helen could not be with us today, Mr. Speaker, but she is watching this proceeding from her bed at her retirement home. We have talked to Helen's family. We talked to her daughter, and they are watching with her.

And, Helen, we are not allowed to speak to you directly because that violates the rules of the House, but through the Speaker, I will say to you, Helen, that we wish you well. We are all thinking about you. Many of your friends are signing a card for you, and if you look behind me, these beautiful roses will be delivered to you later on today as a symbol of the love that all 1,500 Members of Congress that you have come in contact feel about your service.

Every Member of Congress has had a chance to interact with Helen Sewell. Think of that. Fifteen hundred Members of Congress that have come and gone over the past 71 years have interfaced with this lady.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, we keep these photographs in the back of the Cloakroom that I thought it might be appropriate to let our constituents see. Here is Helen Sewell, and it shows the love by Presidents of the United States who also served as former Members of Congress. We can see by the admiration that these Presidents have for Helen that they enjoyed her company, and we can see the high degree of respect that

they would pay to her when they frequently visited the House Chambers.

Now, because she worked for us I do not have any photographs of Democrat Presidents, but I know President Clinton was just as fond of Helen Sewell as were Republican Presidents, but it is just that she worked for our side.

This is another photograph of Helen with one of our dear Presidents.

So, Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a celebration of this institution. It is a celebration 1 week before Christmas, where we in fact are wrapping up the business of the people. But we take the time to honor those people who allow this institution to work, the people whom you do not see, the people who do not make the speeches, the people who do not go out and get their pictures on national TV and in the media, but the people whom really we rely on to allow us to be successful.

Helen, we thank you for your great support and the commitment you have made to America in support of our Congress.

Helen has three children: Jameille Thomas, Anthony Sewell, and Ava Fuller.

Ava, thank you for talking to me today and telling me about your mother.

Helen's father brought her to this institution, and we want to also recognize Helen's father. And, boy, did he have an appropriate name: Benjamin Franklin Jones. It was Helen's father who brought her to this institution 71 years ago to allow her to begin to work and love this institution that was such a critical part of her life.

Helen was also involved with her church. She was active with the Petworth United Methodist Church here in D.C. She was a trustee. She was a church historian. She was an active member of the Northwest Civic Association. Helen has nine grandkids, and I have been told she has too many great grandkids to number, that it is probably in the dozens and dozens.

And we also, Helen, have to tell a few secrets about you, because as these Members of Congress would go into the back Cloakroom to get sandwiches we would sometimes have to get Helen's attention.

Helen had a small TV set, one of these small 10-inch TV sets. And Helen's favorite preoccupation, when she was not waiting on Members of Congress, was watching the soaps. Helen was a national expert and historian on the soap operas. She could tell us any day of the week who was dating whom and which person was, in fact, in trouble with which other person.

Helen, we will preserve those memories of your activities in the Cloakroom and the fact that your famous word of hollering to us ``next'' will be remembered by all the Members of Congress that miss you today. But when they enter the Cloakroom and see that sign above it that says ``Chez Helen,'' the House of Helen, that was in fact provided by our former colleague Amo Houghton, we want you all to know, Helen, that we love you, that we miss you, that your retirement is a symbol of work that you have put forward and it is a symbol of how we in this institution have to from time to time stop and say ``thank you,'' ``thank you'' to those people behind the scenes who make this Congress and this institution such an important part of America's history and legacy.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 633) honoring Helen Sewell on the occasion of her retirement from the House of Representatives and expressing the gratitude of the House for her many years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am not going to be lengthy in my comments because I know our ranking member is going to say something, and then I am going to yield a lot of time to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), who has asked for this resolution, and rightfully so to ask for it.

When I came to the House around 11 years ago, I guess, one of the first persons I ever met was Helen Sewell. And I soon found out she is probably one of the most important people, in fact, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of the public would not be aware unless they had the chance to be here on the floor, but in back of the Chamber on one side is the Democrat Cloakroom and on the other side is the Republican Cloakroom. And of course I have been over in the Democrat Cloakroom. They have got good sandwiches over there, too, which you can buy. And in our Cloakroom on the Republican side, Helen runs a little counter and we call it Helen's Cafe. She makes sandwiches and of course the Members buy those sandwiches or soup, and she has been doing that for such a long time. She is just a fine woman who always has a pleasant smile, always has a good word constantly to say when she was here.

And as many people in the country know, if they watch C-SPAN of course,

that we will be voting sometimes till 2 and 3, in fact probably this morning we will be voting until 4 a.m. And if in fact we are here voting at 4 a.m. and if Helen were here working, she would be back there still providing people, you know, with pop and water and sandwiches and different things, because you cannot get out of the building at that time to go find something to eat and you are sitting here long hours. So she did that. She provided that nutrition for everybody.

But, again, she always did it with such a pleasant smile. Helen is a lovely woman who really gave, frankly, great service to her country by doing what she did; and for that, Helen, on behalf of the House, we think the world of you. We wish you the best in your retirement. And we send all our love to Helen.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), and I want to thank him for bringing this resolution to the floor. This was his idea on behalf of the House to do it, and we certainly appreciate it.

(Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am just going to conclude by thanking the Members for being here today, our ranking members. This could not have happened without Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald being here and taking her time to give tribute, and, of course, the other Members, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and Congressman Gilchrest. Especially, of course, I want to thank Congressman Weldon of Pennsylvania for doing this, for giving Helen the honor that she so deserves.

Obviously, from everything that we have heard today, I think the whole Nation can understand the feeling we have for Helen and how we miss her being here. Of course, when I conclude, I am going to ask for the Record to be kept open because Members are going to want to submit statements for the record to Helen to give her the honor she so deserves. So we wish Helen the best.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I thank my chairman for his words for this delightful woman who has served so admirably in this House.

I am very pleased to first acknowledge Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, whom Ms. Sewell is her constituent, and she has sent a note to say that because of a scheduled event here in the District, she is trying to arrive here in time to offer remarks honoring Ms. Helen Sewell, a longtime Washington, D.C. resident.

Mr. Speaker, this long-serving and dedicated staff of the House deserves recognition of the Members of this House and the public alike.

I would like to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, my dear friend Mr. Curt Weldon, for providing the opportunity today to praise Helen Sewell for her long, loyal, and dutiful service. She deserves being singled out for recognition, and the gentleman from Pennsylvania has captured that in this resolution, and I am sure his words will also be reflective in that as we speak of her service to the House, not only her but her father. So certainly she and her father were and are House institutions.

Having served since she was 15 years old, she has served admirably following those 87 years of her father. We look at the woman when she was young and is still young in spirit to see that she has served almost 7 decades, has been here, has been here as it was said by the reader, during the attack of Puerto Rican nationalists on March 1 of 1957 and has had personal relationships with many persons and including Presidents Ford, Nixon, and George H. Walker Bush. She has provided much friendship and nourishment to the Members of this House and has had an extraordinary endurance and strength in her long-working years. I would like to say that she deserves this recognition. It is a fitting tribute, and it speaks volumes of the type of institutional dedication that is all too hard to find in our world today.

However, she is a representative of others who labor in this House during the people's business by supporting us policymakers as we carry out our constitutional roles. So Ms. Sewell will be retiring on December 31 after many long-serving years. But there are other staffers who are retiring and who have served admirably as well. While we honor Ms. Sewell on the occasion of her retirement, let us also take this opportunity to thank and to honor the other House officers and staff who will follow her into retirement after serving this House for more than 30 years. Kudos to all of those great folks.

Mr. Speaker, all Members wish her good health and good fortune, and we want her to start a new chapter of her life.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, let me again thank Representative Curt Weldon for a great tribute to this outstanding woman. What a great Representative you are in bringing this to the floor today and to display all of the beautiful pictures that you have shown to us today in honor of this great lady.

Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives honors Ms. Sewell on the occasion of her retirement and expresses its gratitude for her many years of service. We thank you, Ms. Sewell.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time, and I want to thank Mr. Weldon from Pennsylvania and all those who have come down here this afternoon to honor just a great lady, a wonderful person. For as long as this building stands, Helen's Cafe will be an intimate part of the U.S. Capitol.

Emerson said heroism is the quiet obedience to the secret impulse of character; and whenever we walked into Helen's Cafe, we had that sense. We could look at Helen and our stress would wash away with her smile, our anxiety about partisan politics or legislation or not getting something done would somehow become a little bit more eased.

Her remarks at the Members leaning up against that counter talking about this or talking about that would be, ``Oh, Lord.'' I can still hear Helen saying ``Oh, Lord.'' Or if you made a comment about her sandwiches were too expensive, of course they were always a fraction of the price of what they would be anywhere else, but if you said something like that, ``Helen, this is a

little pricey, I only got a sandwich and a glass of water,'' she said ``Oh, Lord.''

Her stories about her family and her father and the perspective has been given here this afternoon. But can you imagine someone coming here while President Roosevelt was the President, Richard Nixon and Jack Kennedy were Members of Congress, and, it has already been spoken, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, conflicts around the world with the Middle East, the Persian Gulf war, right on up to the present conflict in Iraq.

Her advice to us, and we took it, was, ``You need your rest. Rest yourself.'' Can you hear Helen saying that? ``Rest yourself.'' Or if you had a sandwich and you did not want anything to drink she would go around and get you a glass of water. ``You have to wash that down with something. It is too dry. You need something to drink. You need your nourishment.'' How many times did we hear Helen say that? ``You need your nourishment. You work too hard.''

Mr. Speaker, we still talk about Helen in Helen's Cafe. And Miss Helen, Pat is doing a great job. She is following your suit. She is set in Helen's Cafe because of your gentle, serene example.

By the way, I have to say this through the Speaker, if you are heading across the Bay Bridge on that church bus and you are going to do what you like to do in Delaware, you have a standing invitation to stop at my house to play 500 rummy. Now, we might throw out a few pennies there, but there is a standing invitation from all of us.

Helen, we wish you Merry Christmas, the best of holidays, and your character, that secret impulse that you left us, will linger here for all time.

Thank you, Curt.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my very good friend, the chairman of the House Administration Committee, for yielding me time.

I was just crossing a television between football games, getting ready to watch the Redskins beat the Cowboys in just a few minutes, and I caught this flower arrangement here, and then started to see these photographs of Helen up, and I said, My gosh, what is going on down here? And it brought back incredible memories for me.

As I know my colleagues on this side of the aisle know, I do not know if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle know, this is my 25th year here. I have served exactly half the amount of time that the Dean of the House, John Dingell, has served. So I have to tell about my first term.

In my first term, Helen Sewell was in an incredible ceremony that then Speaker Tip O'Neill presided over. She was honored in the Sam Rayburn Room right over there, and she was named the Employee of the Year for the U.S. Capitol. I do not know if it has been stated, but on one of the plaques we have right here out in the hallway, and we do not do this terribly often, we have not done it on an annual basis, and, in fact, after Helen Sewell received that reward, I think we went for a long period of time without honoring another employee of the year.

But I listened attentively as my friend from Maryland was talking about Helen making sure that people had enough food and drink in them to be sustained through these long hours of work. I will tell you as I listened to that, I was thinking, a number of us have been working very long hours, and I will tell you I take my hat off especially to the staff, for there has been literally no sleep for a lot of the staff members who are trying to get this very important work that we are proceeding with completed. But Helen would be here ensuring that everyone was very, very healthy; and she was an inspiration to all of us. I heard the bit about the soap operas and all that she followed so attentively.

But I thank my colleagues for recognizing Helen, because she was one of the first people I met when I came here a quarter century ago, and she could not have been any nicer to me then, and our thoughts and prayers are with her.

I look forward to seeing her cross that Bay Bridge and going to play cards with Wayne Gilchrest. I think that should be an interesting game when she stops by his house. But I thank my colleagues for recognizing Helen, who has been a great friend to so many of us.