Kendrick Meek: “I want to think the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Brown], my colleague, for having put this together. And I would like…”

“I want to think the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Brown], my colleague, for having put this together. And I would like to say to this Congress and to the world, seldom will they have a chance to either serve or even know a man like Sam Gibbons. Mr. Speaker, it is an unusual occurrence to have someone like Sam and to have a man who is a hero and a legend in his own time. He is a legend and he has made Florida proud. He is not one with a lot of talk and fanfare about Sam Gibbons. He does the job and history will replicate and document that Sam Gibbons was a hero. He spent 50 years since he was in World War II. He has a memory that is replete with all of these memories and all of these facts and all of the tax laws and he helped to make them. He helped to bring about some of our most famous educational programs. But he is a son of Florida, both in uniform and out. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Florida is serving his 17th term in the Congress and I am so pleased that I had a chance to serve with you, Sam, and to learn about your wonderful family. And I was most proud of you, Sam, when the President designated you as his personal representative. This is the first time I have been to this floor talking about Sam Gibbons. I could come back every day of the year and I would say something new every time about Sam Gibbons.”