Nancy Pelosi: “earlier this evening I heard it announced that our colleague, Representative Kweisi Mfume, was submitting his…”

“earlier this evening I heard it announced that our colleague, Representative Kweisi Mfume, was submitting his resignation to the Congress of the United States. Tonight he cast his last vote, a vote which followed hundreds of votes in support of people across this country. I was pleased to serve in the Congress with him but especially on the Banking Committee a number of years ago when we both came to the House of Representatives. On that committee Congressman Mfume was a champion for affordable housing, for low-income housing, for consumer credit for all Americans and for access to loans for people who wanted to gain equity in business but who had been banned from doing so, also for those who wanted to buy homes but who had been red-lined in the past. Congressman Mfume served very well in the Chair that you occupy now, Mr. Speaker. He knew how to keep order in the House. He did so with great dignity. But he also knew how to raise a ruckus in the name of social justice. We will all miss him greatly here.”