Jerry Lewis: “It is a sad moment for me to come and attempt in a few moments to share with the family and friends of Joe the impact he…”

“It is a sad moment for me to come and attempt in a few moments to share with the family and friends of Joe the impact he has had on my life, the Congress of the United States, and, indeed, upon, I think, people way beyond his wonderful State. Joe was a giant, great man who cared so much for the work of public affairs that it took every bit of his being to impact those issues that were so important to his people; a phenomenal guy who I came to know early upon his career by way of introduction from a mutual friend, Kevin Billings, who said, ``Jerry, you have got to meet this guy, because he is a guy who ought to be on your Committee on Appropriations,'' a committee that I love. From that moment on, as Joe and I began to get to know each other, many of us worked to see that he early on took a spot on that committee. During his service there, as has been said, both first as a member, but, beyond that, as chairman of the subcommittee that deals with agriculture, so important to his State, the Subcommittee on Interior, Joe demonstrated his unusual capability to mix the demands and needs of his own people with those requirements of members of his subcommittee, as well as the needs and priorities of the country.”