Pete Aguilar: “As Mr. Calvert can attest, Jerry Lewis was a larger-than-life figure. Over the course of his four decades of public…”

“As Mr. Calvert can attest, Jerry Lewis was a larger-than-life figure. Over the course of his four decades of public service, Jerry was able to rise through the ranks here at the House to become the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. I notice a lot of appropriators here with us today, sharing their memories and paying their respects, as well. Mr. Lewis earned the respect of Members from both sides of the aisle and worked tirelessly to promote our national defense, care for our veterans, and ensure folks back home in my community and his community of San Bernardino County received our fair share of resources. Jerry was quick to remind people that he was a kid from San Bernardino. Maybe that is why he liked me a little more than he should have, because I was a kid from San Bernardino as well. But that kid went on to serve his community by advocating for it in Sacramento and eventually here in these halls. Too often, our region in California is an afterthought. Smaller than our neighbors to the west in Los Angeles and Orange County, the Inland Empire, my home, was always Jerry's home, and we have always had to fight for our fair share of resources. But Jerry dedicated his career to delivering resources for our community, and his impact can still be felt on the ground today and through the years ahead. He served as my family's representative in Congress for many years.…”