Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I wanted to take a few moments today to speak about the passing of a distinguished citizen of Connecticut and a great American--Henry Healey, Jr.

At the time of his death, Henry Healey was the high sheriff of New Haven County. But his legacy was far greater. He was a WWII veteran, a successful businessman, a dedicated member of the Democratic Party, and a close and dear friend.

I first got to know Henry Healey because of his relationship with my father, Senator Thomas Dodd. And later, when I decided to leave the House of Representatives and make my own run for the U.S. Senate it was from Henry Healey that I sought counsel.

His advice then, as it was every time I spoke to him, helped to guide me in my decision-making process. Because, Henry was a man of great wisdom and shrewd understanding of political history.

Like few men I've known, Henry was endowed with a vision that allowed him to presciently see beyond the political machinations of the day to the long-term political currents of the future.

It's one of the main reasons why Henry was probably one of the three or four most influential people in the past 30 years of Connecticut political history.

But of course there was more to Henry then just his political acumen. He was a man of great loyalty and understanding, who knew how to accomplish things without being flamboyant or self-serving.

He wasn't a great ideologue or a firebrand. He was more interested in people's human skills and their ability to work with others.

I think his chief deputy sheriff, Frank Kinney, Jr., said it best: `People with problems in their lives could always open up to him and he never failed to respond, to do what he could for them. That's what I learned from him, and that's what I admired most about him.'

And in his official role as New Haven County sheriff, Henry Healey turned what had been a largely administrative position into a bully pulpit for drug education, crime prevention, and charity.

And he was recognized across the country for his innovations in law enforcement. He was one of the first officials in America to advocate neighborhood block watch programs. He was a strong voice in the fight against substance abuse in New Haven County schools. And he was recognized by his peers, when he was appointed president of the National Sheriffs Association, in the late 1980s.

But, Henry Healey was also a man of great personal charity. His New Haven scholarship fund helped give hundreds of Connecticut children the opportunity to seek higher education. And, he made it a regular practice of hiring ex-convicts for his car dealerships. In addition, he ended the practice of serving eviction notices at Christmas.

This charity was certainly smart politics for an elected official. It was no accident that if you had hopes of a career in politics in Connecticut, it was a good idea to stay on the right side of Henry.

But, it also reflected Henry's integrity as a public servant and as a man. He was a throwback to an earlier, simpler age in American politics and he will be dearly missed by the residents of New Haven County and the State of Connecticut.

My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Jean and his children Patrick, Henry Bryan, Michael, Constance, Christina, and Irene.

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