Bill Keating: “After the kind words of the gentleman from New York, I just want to say, after hearing him pay tribute to Mr. Sullivan…”

“After the kind words of the gentleman from New York, I just want to say, after hearing him pay tribute to Mr. Sullivan, I just will tell you that I do hope that the Yankees sign Robinson Cano, and I hope they go way over the luxury tax threshold to do it. Mr. Speaker, just briefly, I want to tell you, when I came to this House not knowing much, I asked for advice from a lot of people, and I can't tell you how many people told me, Just seek out Barry Sullivan for whatever you need, whether it is a personal need, whether it is the knowledge of the city, whether it is the knowledge of legislative practice, whether it is the knowledge of what to do in the formal or informal structure. They all told me to seek out Barry Sullivan. I will tell you that no better advice was ever given to me. I want to congratulate him on his 33 years, and I want to say that it has been an amazing career because, as the leadership has changed over his 87 years, he has maintained that position despite who was in the Democratic leadership, and that is a tribute to the job that he does. I also have felt a kinship with him as I began to know a little bit about him. I saw that we have a lot in common. He comes from a police family. His father was police commissioner. My father was a police officer. My brother was a police officer. His father was a State senator, and I served in the State senate for part of that time, representing the city of Boston as well.…”