Here’s the statement by Rep. Tom Feeney (R, FL), main sponsor of House Resolution 1016 honoring Bill Buckley:

“Today’s passage of the William F. Buckley Resolution is a small thank you to a man who served as the intellectual leader of conservatives for five decades. William F. Buckley, Jr. was a true foot soldier, fighting successfully for the advancement of conservative principles. His consistent advocacy facilitated the rise of Senator Barry Goldwater and ultimately the presidency of Ronald Reagan. “William F. Buckley refined and articulated a modern conservative theory that promoted maximum individual freedom and served to defeat collectivism at home and the Soviet Union abroad. The loss of this great man was felt by all Americans and has left a void that will be difficult, if not impossible to fill.”

Rep. Chris Shays (R, CT) took to the House floor yesterday to discuss the resolution praising his favorite conservative constituent:

I thank my former chairman for yielding, and now ranking member of the Government Oversight Committee.
I wanted to speak today because I have tremendous admiration for William Buckley, Jr. He lived in many places. He had a wonderful home in New York City, he had a wonderful home on the water in Stamford, Connecticut, in the Fourth Congressional District, and a family compound in Sharon, Connecticut as well.
Bill Buckley was an absolute delight to interact with. On occasion, not often, I would be invited to have dinner at his homes, and he would have people of great notoriety. I would participate in the dialog, but a lot of the time I felt it was best to listen more than talk. I loved the twinkle in Bill Buckley’s eyes as he debated people, and me, on occasion.
There was nothing mean or angry ever in the way he spoke to people. He had strong views, but he clearly liked the interaction that took place. He loved debating ideas, he loved drawing you out. But I never once ever heard him be nasty about anyone. He was a conservative, with strong views but he listened kindly to those with other views.
I would like to place in the Record, a Eulogy for My Father, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, April 4, 2008, and that is by his only son, Christopher Buckley. I will just read a slight part of it. This was delivered on the occasion of the memorial mass for his dad at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Christopher began by saying, “We talked about this day, he and I, a few years ago. He said to me, ‘If I’m still famous, try to convince the cardinal to do the service at St. Patrick’s. If I’m not, just tuck me away in Stamford.’” Then Christopher went on to say, “Well, Pup, I guess you’re famous.”
Further on he said, “Pope Benedict will be saying mass here in 2 weeks. I was told that the music at this mass for my father would in effect be the dress rehearsal for the Pope’s. I think that would have pleased him, though doubtless he would have preferred it to be the other way around.”
It was a magnificent service. It was a service where great joy and admiration was expressed and with people from all political persuasions, from the most liberal, to the most conservative. We were saluting a man, the likes of which we may never see again, sadly.
With that, let me say thank goodness for William Buckley, for his magnificent family, and for the grace which embodied everything he did.