Hyde to receive Medal of Freedom

Former Congressman Henry J. Hyde is among eight people to receive the nation's top civilian honor, President Bush announced Monday.

Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom will be honored at a White House ceremony Nov. 5.

Hyde is being recognized as a "powerful defender of life" and an advocate for strong national defense, the White House said in a statement.

Hyde, though, still is recuperating from the open-heart surgery he underwent in July. He is expected to be released from Marianjoy Rehabilitation Center in Wheaton in a few weeks. His son, Bob, will accept the medal.

The 83-year-old conservative lawmaker formerly from Wood Dale is nationally known for his role in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and his opposition to abortion. Hyde now lives in Geneva.

He represented the DuPage County-centered 6th District as a Republican in Congress until January 2006, retiring after 16 terms. He was chairman of both the House Judiciary and Foreign Relations panels during his time in Washington.

"He's a true statesman in a world that has grown increasingly divisive and partisan," said U.S. Northern Illinois District Judge Wayne Andersen, a longtime friend. "He's one of those rare public servants who was able to be principled and yet comprise and advance the causes he believes in. That's a very difficult thing to do in politics."

Patrick Durante, a former aide for 32 years, said the congressman was told about the honor one week ago but was sworn to secrecy until the announcement.

"He is so moved," Durante said. "It was a heck of a thing to be able to look into his eyes as he was telling me. I'm one of the lucky ones to have personally watched him serve his country and constituents. No one is more deserving of this than Henry Hyde."

Others agreed.

"Certainly, if ever there was a congressman who deserves this, Henry is the guy," said George Burditt, a former Illinois representative and noted food-and-drug legal expert. "He's very articulate, bright and has integrity -- all of the qualifications of an outstanding legislator."

Other recipients of the award include:

• Gary Becker, economist and 1992 Nobel Prize winner honored for broadening the understanding of economics and social science.

• Oscar Elias Biscet, human rights advocate and political prisoner in Cuba.

• Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, for greatly expanding the understanding of the human DNA.

• Benjamin Hooks, former NAACP executive director and a pioneer of the civil rights movement.

• Brian Lamb, president and CEO of C-SPAN, for elevating public debate and making government more accessible.

• Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird," for her contribution to American literature.

• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia and the first woman elected president of an African nation.