Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in memory of Bill Pascrell. When we talk about the people's House, he epitomized that saying, that the idea that anybody from any part of our country could rise up to represent their community, their constituents in a way that does honor to them but also to the idea of we the people, that the consent is earned from the governed, and Billy was the epitome of that idea. When I think of him, I think that he was a character, that he was a fighter, that there would never be another Bill Pascrell in this place. He was one of a kind, but he also had a kind soul. He was a hell of a fighter and somebody that didn't give up on working America. How does this help the working man and woman in his district and across the country? One of the first things I did when I was on the committee when I was really green is I called out another Member on the other side of the aisle by name and took a good whack because I came from the Oversight Committee, and that is how we do it over there. We kind of have brass- knuckle fights. I was asked--which kind broke decorum a little bit--but I was asked to make amends with the other gentleman, which I did, but when I left, a few days after that incident Billy said: You did a great job in that hearing. He loved those fights because he felt that passion. Billy is somebody that is going to be missed, but I know that his legacy in this place and in his district will never be forgotten.”