Mike Honda: “I was going to start out by saying that I rise today in mourning, but I don't think it is about mourning. It is about…”

“I was going to start out by saying that I rise today in mourning, but I don't think it is about mourning. It is about celebrating Mark's life. We have heard all about Mark's character, his person, his presence in this Hall; and I think it is important for not only the family to hear this, but for Matthew and Kaila to hear it, too. For their short lives, they must have shared their dad intermittently. And while he was here, I used to ask him: Did you call home? Did you call your kids? Well, he always said yes, so I stopped asking him because I knew that that was part of the way he lived his life here. It is fitting that we talk about Mark here in the dome, the Capitol, because I think there are three places that Mark did his work. He did his work in church, under this dome, and his home, and he did it well. He did it according to, I think, the way his parents had raised him, both Erik and Naomi. I could tell because, when he used my car, he returned it better than I gave it to him: clean and with the tank full. I didn't know he was so much into sustainable energy, so I hope it didn't offend him if he drove the hybrid. But I certainly feel good every time I sit in the car right now, because I know he was there with Sami, his family, whenever he went to church or took the drive to Baltimore for treatment. I always told him that my prayers are with him because I believe in the power of prayer.…”