Vern Buchanan: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the memory of my dear friend, colleague and mentor…”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the memory of my dear friend, colleague and mentor, Congressman Bill Young. For over four decades, there has not been a stronger voice in this Chamber for our brave men and women in uniform other than Bill Young. My district was just south of Bill Young's district, and we have almost 90,000 veterans. There is nobody who has benefited, I think, in terms of a district more than our veterans have in terms of Bill Young's leadership and in what he has brought to Pinellas County and to the State of Florida. He was an inspiration to so many because he personified the most important virtue of public service--he did it for others. As dean of the Florida delegation, Bill provided wisdom and counsel to Members on both sides of the aisle. He served this great institution with devotion, civility, and distinction. I am honored personally to have served with this extraordinary man. With his passing, the State of Florida and the Nation have lost an outstanding lawmaker, statesman, and public servant. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. {time} 1945”