Ken Calvert: “As the Dean of California's Republican delegation, it is my honor and privilege to come to the floor of the people's…”

“As the Dean of California's Republican delegation, it is my honor and privilege to come to the floor of the people's House to recognize someone from the Golden State who has made a historic impact on this institution. Kevin McCarthy is not from one of California's world-famous cities. He hails from the blue-collar city of Bakersfield. Kevin is not the son of politicians or corporate titans. He is the son of a firefighter. His story is an American story. He is the grandson of an Italian immigrant. From staffer to Speaker, he has devoted the better part of his life to the House of Representatives. In politics, nothing is handed to you. That certainly holds true in this town and in this building. Kevin's success is the result of hard work and determination. Kevin is a fighter. Time and time again, he fought for his constituents, his State, his conference, and his country. The first sign of Kevin's go-get-em attitude was when, at the age of 19, he started his own small business selling sandwiches. While attending college at Cal State Bakersfield, Kevin got interested in politics, took a job working for our former colleague, former chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Bill Thomas. For the next 15 years, he worked as a congressional aid and ultimately served as a district director for Congressman Thomas.…”