Hal Rogers: “when they write the book on the model congressman, I think Herb Bateman should be chapter one. Here is a gentleman who…”

“when they write the book on the model congressman, I think Herb Bateman should be chapter one. Here is a gentleman who, although soft spoken most of the time, when he saw a wrong-headed position being taken or he saw the Nation's interest being flaunted, there could be no more forceful speaker than Herb Bateman. We have all seen him in our caucus and on this very floor. He would take the floor infrequently, but when he did, we knew something was on his mind, and he spoke it very, very well; and he was forceful. He was a man, a Representative who I think, in the truest sense of that word, represented his people extremely well here in this body. He paid attention to the needs of his people back home. He knew their problems. He worked their problems. He tended to his people's business here in a most efficient way. He truly was a representative of his people. Then on national issues, Herb was one of the House's experts on military matters, of course a very forceful advocate for a strong national defense in the Committee on Armed Services and on the floor of this body, and indeed, as the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) has said, in places like the NATO Council and the international bodies that he attended overseas, representing this House and representing our country in a most effective and heartfelt way. There is no more reasonable person than Herb Bateman.”