Sam Farr: “Tonight I rise on the third anniversary of the day on which I took the oath of office 3 years ago in this Chamber to…”

“Tonight I rise on the third anniversary of the day on which I took the oath of office 3 years ago in this Chamber to replace then-Congressman Leon Panetta, who had gone to work in the White House as head of OMB. Standing in the well before me, I thanked the California State legislature, which I had left the night before, for the good work they were doing in guiding the State of California. At the same time I paid tribute to my mother, who had died of cancer while I was in the Peace Corps; and to my sister, who was killed while visiting me in the Peace Corps. In the gallery at the time was my father, Fred Farr, and my sister, Francesca Farr. Also in the gallery from my district was Rev. Darrell Darling and his son Adam Darling, who grew up in Santa Cruz, part of the district I now represent. Tonight, on the third anniversary, I want to pay tribute to that beautiful young man, Adam Darling, who lost his life in the plane crash with Secretary Ron Brown in Bosnia. Adam Darling died doing precisely what he wanted: serving his country while working to make the world a better place. He was an eternal optimist.”