Sam Gejdenson: “in this institution through the years we see many people come and go. The great wealth of American ability is that they…”

“in this institution through the years we see many people come and go. The great wealth of American ability is that they get replaced by capable individuals that go on to represent their constituents. It is not often that a vacuum is felt in this Chamber. This is a very vibrant country. Most of us when we leave here and go back to our personal lives, while occasionally remembered, the society runs just fine, and the institution runs fine. We are going to miss our friend the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner). We are going to miss him not just because of his personality and his friendship but because the courage he has exhibited on this floor over and over again on so many issues. People always talk about political courage as if there is a political benefit for political courage, but I think most people inside this institution know that oftentimes in the instances where there is the greatest political courage, there is actually a larger political cost. You lose more votes for being courageous. You are often safer playing in the middle of the road. The gentleman from North Carolina has not done that. In the years here on tough vote after tough vote, he stood up for what he believed to be right, right for the country and right for his constituents. At times I guess it has cost him some votes back home. But from the people that know him and admire him as I do, it just increased our respect for the work he has done here.”