John Yarmuth: “like my colleague from Kentucky, I rise to honor former Congressman Gene Snyder. Because we find ourselves both as a…”

“like my colleague from Kentucky, I rise to honor former Congressman Gene Snyder. Because we find ourselves both as a Congress and a country working to dig ourselves out of a divisive partisan trench, which in recent years has been characterized by petty attacks and contentiousness, my constituents may be surprised to know that I counted Gene Snyder as a friend. Gene, who was always more interested in the public than publicity, told me a story about a persistent reporter who badgered him about a meeting he wanted to cover. Gene didn't want the reporter at the meeting and refused to disclose the location. So when Gene spotted the reporter in his rearview mirror tailing him to the meeting, Gene said to heck with it. He told his aide to head for the mountains, and led the reporter on a 100-mile wild goose chase through Virginia. Now, as a former member of the news media, I won't applaud that tactic, but I admire the competitive spirit it exemplified. In any event, that was the last time that reporter tried to get the best of Gene. Although Gene and I enjoyed each other's company, you would be hard- pressed to find more than a handful of issues upon which the honorable Gene Snyder and I agreed in the political arena. But political issues are only one part of this job, the other being serving one's constituents. As far apart as we sat on the ideological spectrum, Gene Snyder's model of constituent service is one I aspire to closely emulate.”