Retired Congressman Henry Hyde receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Published: 2007-11-07

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Henry Hyde, retired Republican Congressman from Illinois, was one of four Catholics to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a Nov. 5 White House ceremony. Hyde retired last year after 32 years in Congress where he chaired the Judiciary and International Relations committees and was an outspoken leader in the pro-life movement. He was unable to attend the White House ceremony because he was recuperating from quadruple heart bypass surgery, but his son Bob accepted the award for him, saying it "affirms the importance and the value of his stance on many things, like right to life." President George W. Bush described Hyde as a "commanding presence" and "a man of consequence," who impressed colleagues with his "extraordinary intellect, his deep convictions and eloquent voice." Other Catholic recipients of the award were economist Gary Becker, Cuban human rights activist Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and Brian Lamb, president and CEO of C-SPAN.

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