On the recordDecember 3, 2024
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6826, a bill to designate the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center. This is a well-deserved honor for Senator Sarbanes. He played a key role in securing the Federal funding for the visitor center at Fort McHenry. Fort McHenry is an important historic site. Thanks to Senator Sarbanes, visitors have access to exhibits and resources to further their education about the fort and its key importance in the War of 1812. Beyond his work at Fort McHenry, Senator Sarbanes was a giant, both in the United States Senate and in the State of Maryland. About 30 years ago this month, I had the honor of joining the staff and serving as counsel to Senator Paul Sarbanes during the Whitewater investigations. I had watched him during the Watergate hearings when I was a young man. I was one of those strange kids who came home from school and put on the hearings. We didn't have C-SPAN yet, so this was my first chance to actually see Congress in action. The two people who stood out for me were Barbara Jordan and Paul Sarbanes. He was a great boss and a great mentor for me, and I wouldn't be here today in the House of Representatives without his influence, his guidance, and his assistance to me and my career. It was a tremendous privilege to work for him.…





