On the recordDecember 10, 2014
It is an honor to stand with the California delegation tonight in saluting two extraordinary Members of the United States Congress, George Miller and Henry Waxman, two friends, two individuals who have been an inspiration to me and so many other Americans. What is extraordinary about these two men is that they greeted every day of their 40 years here in the United States Congress as if it were their very first day, with the same determination, with the same drive, with the same passion to make our country a little better place than they found it. Make no mistake, they came here on a mission to build a more just, a more inclusive Nation, where every American has a fair shot at the American Dream, and through that determination and that perseverance, they succeeded. If you look around the country today, in almost every aspect of American life, these two gentlemen have left their mark, from health care to education to workers' rights to protecting our environment. They have changed the arc of American history. One quality really stands out when I think about both these individuals: fearlessness and moral courage and a willingness to take on the most powerful special interests on behalf of the common good, no matter the personal risk, no matter the political cost. They have been warriors for the public good, sometimes happy warriors, sometimes just tough warriors, but always standing up for what is best in America.…
