Political Quotes

“I thank Mr. Calvert for calling this Special Order in honor of our former colleague, Jerry Lewis. As fellow Californians, we were his friends and know what a loss it is to us that he is now looking down on us. Maybe that is what is needed. That is the plus. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues from California--again, thanking Mr. Calvert--to honor a fierce and fearless champion of the Golden State, our late cherished colleague, Congressman Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis lived a life dedicated to California, from serving on the San Bernardino City School Board to his decade in the California Assembly to his 34 years representing Inland Empire communities in the U.S. Congress. It was when he was in the assembly that I got to know him over 40 years ago. I was the chair of the Northern California Democratic Party, and he was on the committee of jurisdiction that was viewing legislation of concern to voter participation in our State. He always had that smile. He was always very inviting of ideas, very welcoming. I was brand new in the political arena, had hardly been involved in California politics, and so his warm welcome then is something I always remember. When we served together in Congress, we both remembered it well. Jerry and I were friends, again, for a long time. Then, in Congress, we served on the Appropriations Committee, where he took great pride in being chair of the full committee. How could it be that he was the first chair of the committee from California?…”