
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 10, 1991                   TAG: 9102100140
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

MASS. LAWMAKER SILVIO CONTE DIES

Massachusetts is likely to hold a special election to fill the vacancy created by the death of Rep. Silvio Conte, the lone Republican in the state's congressional delegation, a lawmaker said Saturday.

Conte died of a cerebral hemorrhage Friday night after a long battle with prostate cancer. He was 69.

Rep. Joseph Moakley, D-Mass., chairman of the House Rules Committee, said Gov. William Weld would select a date for an election. Weld, a Republican, made no immediate comment on a special election.

Massachusetts lawmakers said it would take more than a special election to fill the power vacuum left by Conte, who served on Capitol Hill for 34 years.

"History will list Silvio Conte as one of the greatest Massachusetts members of Congress and one of the nation's greatest public servants," Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., said in a statement.

President Bush, in a statement released at Camp David, Md., said he and his wife, Barbara, were deeply saddened and the death of a good friend.

As the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, Conte developed the kind of clout that enabled him to walk into a committee room and demand certain concessions in exchange for his support.

Among the national and state projects Conte promoted were expansion and improvement of Amtrak rail service to Massachusetts, home heating assistance to the poor, tuition aid, Pentagon dollars for home-state defense contractors and research grants to hospitals.

by CNB