On the recordDecember 10, 2014
Tonight is a bittersweet event for all of us of the California delegation. While we are here to celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues Henry Waxman and George Miller, we are also here to bid farewell to these outstanding statesmen who have made indelible contributions to the House of Representatives and to our Nation. When I came to Congress in 1993, they had served 18 years as colleagues of my father, former Congressman Edward R. Roybal, who had great respect for these men. As a freshman Member, I remember being very much in awe of them and their accomplishments. Henry was already considered the health guru, and George was well-established as a leader in education and labor policy, but their contributions to our country had just begun. As a Member of the House for the last 22 years, I have seen firsthand the expertise, the passion, and the courage with which they fought for policies and laws to improve the quality of life for all Americans. While their accomplishments are much too many to mention, Henry will always be remembered for his championship of universal health coverage, his efforts to ensure the affordability and availability of prescription drugs, and his leadership in tobacco cessation policy. George's legacy will be his stewardship of a fair minimum wage, worker protections through secret ballots, and his staunch advocacy for school modernization and student aid expansion.…
