 |  | "We Representatives of the Pennsylvania House, honored by our special heritage and enabled by our unique tradition, have sworn our pledges to serve our constituency, to serve our Commonwealth, to serve our Country, and to save the dream of William Penn, and this service begins when this day's meeting ends."
-- Acknowledgement Speech, January 6, 1981 |
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Matthew J. Ryan is well known throughout Pennsylvania as an advocate for welfare reform, tax relief and jobs creation. Speaker Ryan has served in the House for 34 consecutive years, and counting. Only two members in the 314 years of the House of Representatives surpass this notable tenure. During that time, he has served as Republican Policy Chairman and Whip, and, for longer than anyone else, he has held the post of Republican Leader. His 25 years as an elected legislative leader is unequalled in the 140-year history of the Party of Lincoln. His party loyalty and his extraordinary tenure in serving the people have proven his love for the nation's oldest and most distinguished institution. Speaker Ryan, a former First Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, is an attorney by profession. Ryan was elected Speaker for the first time in 1981, and colleagues from both sides of the aisle lauded him for the nonpartisan manner in which he so fairly presided over that successful session. Elected Speaker again in 1995, Ryan is respected by his peers as a Caucus unifier, feisty debater, parliamentary tactician, government expert, Pennsylvania booster, and a committee leader who plays fair and with esprit. Of the 25 Speakers serving non-consecutive terms, Speaker Ryan has the longest interregnum - 13 years between 1982 and 1995. Known for speaking with great fervor, this true statesman has been praised for his compassion, openness, unmatched quick Irish wit, intelligence, and friendly advice. Recognized for the "self-deprecatory mien of a seasoned politician," Ryan good-heartedly compliments opponents and readily concedes if proven wrong. Speaker Ryan told the freshmen of 1991 that the qualities of an outstanding legislator are "skill at listening and understanding, respecting others' strengths and accepting their limitations, celebrating differences and victories, fighting with conviction, compassion, commitment and courage, and learning the art of compromise." He later showed his courage and dedication by returning to his front desk with panache as the first Floor leader to undergo a quadruple coronary bypass. Ryan's unheralded contribution is that he was one of the creators of the "Modern General Assembly." He was actively involved in providing legislators with the adequate tools necessary to do their jobs in running government. His efforts helped produce professional staffs and research, Capitol and district offices, Sunset Agency Review, legislative partnership with the Budget Code, caucus parity funding, the addition to the Capitol East Wing, the Bipartisan Management Committee, and the nationally renowned Capitol Preservation Committee. For a dozen years, the Hall of the House was the arena for the Matt Ryan-Jim Manderino floor debates. Adversaries in the tradition of Daniel Webster for the East and Henry Clay for the West, each spoke powerfully for his Commonwealth and his party. Both came prepared and ready to stand their ground. Ryan had four more years of House seniority, but was the older by just 10 days. "He was a warrior and I have the scars to prove it," Speaker Ryan said at the passing of his friend, Speaker Manderino. Today, Ryan passes along his legislative wisdom to colleagues. The following is but one example: "As lawmakers, you will find, as we all must, that it takes struggles to make strengths; it takes fight for principles to make fortitude; it takes crisis to give courage; it takes singleness of purpose to reach an objective." |