Kendrick Meek: “I have known Ron Brown since he was a very young man. I have seen him come up through the ranks. He did it the hard way.…”

“I have known Ron Brown since he was a very young man. I have seen him come up through the ranks. He did it the hard way. He worked for it. I appreciate the kind of commendation that we are giving Ron Brown today. I want to send my condolences to the family, especially to my baby, Michael, his son, and to say to Alma and to her daughter, Tracy, that God will go with them, as we all know, and that Ron will always be remembered, and that we will keep his legacy going. He will not be a forgotten man. People were magnetized by Ron Brown. He lived in such a way that people would gravitate towards him because they knew he was good. I will tell you one thing, Mr. Speaker, every youngster in this country who is from a poor or disadvantaged community... will pattern themselves after Ron Brown, because they see an opportunity in him, in what he did, to make the American dream work. That is going to be his legacy.”