Ben Cardin: “I take this time to say thank you to Charlie Johnson for his public service. He has never been elected as a Member of…”

“I take this time to say thank you to Charlie Johnson for his public service. He has never been elected as a Member of this body, but he has had as much influence as anyone who has ever been elected to this House in preserving the traditions of this great democratic institution, and I thank him for that. His contributions go well beyond the 40 years of service because what he has done in his service will be a lasting tradition in this body and will serve future generations. He cannot duck a single tough issue, but he has ruled every time on the basis of sound precedent without partisan considerations. He is a person of the highest integrity, an encyclopedic mind, a person who is totally committed to our country and this legislative body. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to take this 1 minute as one Member of this body to thank Charlie Johnson for what he has done to make this great institution a better place for the future. I thank you, I thank you for your friendship, and I thank you for your commitment.”