High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. (December 9, 1912 January 5, 1994) was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts of Massachusetts. He was the Speaker of the House from 1977 until his retirement in 1987, making him the second longest-serving Speaker in U.S. history after Sam Rayburn and the longest consecutive serving Speaker.