Timothy Roemer: “Mr. Emerson taught many of us by example a number of things. One was courage. Mr. Emerson was wheeled into this body…”

“Mr. Emerson taught many of us by example a number of things. One was courage. Mr. Emerson was wheeled into this body about 2 weeks ago in his wheelchair with his oxygen on and I went over to say hello to him and asked if there was anything I could do. He removed the oxygen from his nose and he started to get up out of his wheelchair, and he said, ``Tim, you make sure you go around telling all my colleagues and all my friends that I'm going to beat this thing. This wheelchair only helps me get back and forth from my office to the floor to cast my votes.'' ... Bill Emerson taught me the lesson not just of courage in casting votes up until the end, he taught me about civility and about being kind, to Democrats and Republicans, and treating everybody the same here. My heart goes out to Jo Ann and the four daughters and I will thank Bill Emerson for the lessons that he taught me from farther away.”