Romano Mazzoli: “I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for those wonderful words, because Bill is with us in spirit. And he is with us in…”

“I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for those wonderful words, because Bill is with us in spirit. And he is with us in the embodiment of what public service is about. He appreciates what you have said, because it really does crystallize the fact that he was a master of the legislative detail. But he was also a human being. He understood the human side of a budget, the human side of a figure on an appropriations bill. that is what made Congressman Natcher such a powerful and important person. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make just a few more comments. I would like to, of course, mention the fact that we know very well that Bill's 18,401 consecutive votes, which will last forever as a symbol not just of legislative devotion but of, of course, a great knowledge of the way this parliamentary system operates. We know of his journal, the wonderful treasure trove that will yield priceless gems about what has happened in America for these past 40-plus years. We know about all of his wonderful mastery of the legislative detail. We have heard tonight about his fondness for Members on both sides of the aisle, and we have a pretty good idea, I think, of the fact that Bill Natcher was a devoted family man.”