Anna Eshoo: “Mr. Speaker, let me say to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), as blessed as each one of us felt to know…”

“Mr. Speaker, let me say to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), as blessed as each one of us felt to know Joe Moakley and to have his friendship, I do not think that he had greater love for anyone here than he did for you. We feel the same way. We know that the gentleman is going to continue in Joe Moakley's great footsteps, in his beliefs and everything that he fought for. You are our new Joe. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Mr. Moakley's staff for serving him so well because through their service, the fullness of his representation was felt here. Whenever I think of Joe since his passing, and I know the angels stood outside the gates and greeted him with open arms, and I think Tip O'Neill was right there, too, to bring him through the gates, he has earned the highest place in heaven because of how he lived on this Earth. Thank God Joe Moakley was born because in that person, in the soul and the person that was shaped, he did great things because they were good things.”