Danny Davis: “I couldn't let the evening go by without coming to pay tribute to Barbara, one of the fiercest, most courageous, hardest…”

“I couldn't let the evening go by without coming to pay tribute to Barbara, one of the fiercest, most courageous, hardest working, and most energized persons I have ever known during my lifetime. Seeing what you have contributed and the way in which you have done it, as I listen to each one of the people who spoke--World AIDS Day probably wouldn't be taking place. We just celebrated it on the 1st of December, and people all over the country and all over the Nation celebrated World AIDS Day. That is a part of your work. The focus on SNAP and hungry people, people needing food, that is a part of your work, making sure that people got second chances and that they got money. Every session, when we get to appropriations, we always say: Are we really going to get the money we need for people to have these programs? Barbara Lee is there, and we know that Barbara has got our back. The focus on international relationships, I think I got two boxes of Castro's cigars. I never smoked, but I got two boxes of Castro cigars. He would keep us up all night. He never wanted to quit and go to bed. Somebody would have to say: Mr. President, we have got other people to see tomorrow and other things to do. The whole health arena, how much fun I had working with Clyde and the folks out in San Francisco and Oakland, where when we started with what is known as the federally qualified health centers. When I started, there were 10.…”