Patrick Leahy: “all of us who knew him during his decade of service in Congress, and others who knew him only by reputation, mourn the…”

“all of us who knew him during his decade of service in Congress, and others who knew him only by reputation, mourn the recent passing of Gunn McKay. Gunn McKay was a leading member of the Committee on Appropriations in the other body and chaired the Subcommittee on Military Construction. He was effective. He knew how to lead and how to legislate. His voice was an influential voice on energy issues and military readiness and Federal land policy. And he knew how to bring people together to get things done. It was not politics that motivated Gunn McKay in his public service; it was people. He thrived in being able to help people get and keep good-paying jobs. He deeply, unequivocally believed that there is a role for government, through programs like Medicare and Social Security and in other ways, in helping those who struggle. Gunn achieved all of the good he accomplished in life through a deep-down and infectious optimism about people and about the future. More than being a great public servant, he was a good man. Those who worked with him will tell you that Gunn did not have a mean bone in his body. When he left public life Gunn and his wife, Donna, devoted much of their time to church service abroad. The Nation and its Congress are better for the fact that Gunn McKay served here. And so, certainly, are the people of his beloved State of Utah.”