Jason Smith: “I thank Mr. Kelly for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in remembering the life and legacy of…”

“I thank Mr. Kelly for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in remembering the life and legacy of our good friend, our colleague, Mr. Pascrell. I had the honor of working with Bill over the years as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, and I can tell you that no one brought more passion or more of a presence in our committee room than Mr. Pascrell. {time} 1815 Anyone who has been on the right side or the wrong side of a point of view or opinion that Bill had knows what a tireless advocate he was for the communities that he represented. His life was dedicated to service, from his time in the New Jersey General Assembly, to mayor of his hometown of Paterson, to a senior Member of this House of Representatives. While he and I certainly did not always see eye to eye on a lot of the policy debates we had in the Ways and Means Committee or here on the floor of the House, Bill was not shy or afraid of working across the aisle to find common cause. I know I speak for the entire Ways and Means Committee when I say that Bill will be profoundly missed, not just for his passion and friendship but for his knowledge of the issues. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill's family and his staff during this difficult time. His service to this Nation and his passion and commitment to those he served will continue to be an example for us all.”