James Oberstar: “I take the well today to apologize to Mr. Johnson and to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for my…”

“I take the well today to apologize to Mr. Johnson and to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for my careless, inappropriate, and offensive remark. Madam Speaker, in my years of Congress, I have staunchly maintained an attitude of support for civil rights in the United States and human rights abroad. I will not detail that history today except to say that, in the most recent civil rights issue before my committee, TEA 21, I championed the inclusion of language to give a fair share of Federal transportation accounts to disadvantaged businesses. Before coming to Washington, I spent 3 rac{1}{2} years working in Haiti. During my time of Congress, I worked to bring economic and political stability to that first black republic in the world. I cannot let that record of 40 years be tarnished by one ill-chosen, inappropriate, offensive word.”