November 29, 2007
Former Rep. Henry Hyde Dead At 83
UPDATED.
Former Illinois Rep. Henry Hyde (R), best known for leading the impeachment proceedings against former President Bill Clinton and authoring an amendment banning federal funding for abortions, died at the age of 83. The House Republican leadership confirmed his death today, AP reports.
Hyde was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this month but was unable to accept it in person because he was recovering from surgery. According to The Swamp, Hyde "had triple bypass surgery on his heart in July and has been in failing health." Family members told the Chicago Sun-Times that Hyde died around 3 a.m. this morning at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "I believe his heart just gave out," his stepdaughter, Sue Schiesser, told the Sun-Times.
The long-serving conservative representative of Chicago's western suburbs left the House last year, after 32 years in office. The Chicago Tribune reports that Hyde was "known for his courtly manners, oratorical skills and historical knowledge" and was "often seen as a throwback to a more genteel era in Washington."
"Today we remember him as a true statesman and leader of distinction who served the American people with courage, nobility and pride," Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said in a statement on Hyde's passing. "Chairman Hyde was a pioneer in the effort to protect human life, and because of his tireless efforts, there are thousands of people living around the world today who remember his service to mankind."
In an interview with NationalJournal.com (subscription) as he prepared to depart the House last year, the veteran lawmaker said the Hyde Amendment preventing federal funds for abortion was his greatest achievement. He also had some advice for new members: "Work your posterior off going to meetings and rallies and functions, and being visible and being accessible. Be a good guy. And never rest."
The Almanac of American Politics (subscription) has detailed information about Hyde's life and career. And the National Review editorial board has a tribute to the late lawmaker on its Web site.
