John Kerry: “I thank you and express my gratitude to Senators Lott, Dodd, and Kennedy for their courtesy and their assistance in…”

“I thank you and express my gratitude to Senators Lott, Dodd, and Kennedy for their courtesy and their assistance in helping to bring us to the point where this important resolution has been adopted by this Congress with respect to Joe Moakley. In these last hours since Joe Moakley announced his retirement from Congress, we have had the opportunity in our State--and I think many people down here in Washington--to share in a unique outpouring of support and emotion, all surrounding our friend and our colleague, the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation. Today, with this resolution in Congress, we have had the opportunity not only to forever honor Joe, through the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse, but to also share our affection and our perceptions of this very special public servant, public person, this special representative of the people of Boston. On Monday, as Senator Kennedy just described, Joe shared with his constituents--with all of our State--that he has been diagnosed with an incurable form of leukemia, and that he will retire after he serves his current term in the House of Representatives.”