Niki Tsongas: “Thank you, Mr. Markey. It's great to be here, although a sad moment as well because we are losing--not truly losing, but…”

“Thank you, Mr. Markey. It's great to be here, although a sad moment as well because we are losing--not truly losing, but no longer serving on a daily basis with-- two remarkable colleagues with whom it has been my privilege to serve for 5 years. They are distinguished legislators, as we're hearing, but they're also great friends. Barney Frank has been a family friend for many years. In fact, my sister-in-law, Thaleia Tsongas Schlesinger, was Barney's press secretary in his first race for Congress. And I was so proud to receive his support when I first got the seat 5 years ago. He commented at the time that he was responsible for defeating the last woman who had served from Massachusetts, and he wanted to help elect the next woman who was seeking to serve for Massachusetts. It had been 25 years. And Barney, as we've heard, really has been a legend in everything he's done. I watched him from afar. I was quite young when he was working with Kevin White. We knew who he was because, even at that young age, he was very colorful and very able and recognized as being so extraordinarily bright and always witty, as a State legislator as well. In here we see it and have heard about it over and over again. Soon after getting here 5 years ago, maybe a year into it, you know, we struggled with the collapse of Wall Street.…”