G. K. Butterfield: “I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) for yielding this evening. I am absolutely embarrassed to come after…”

“I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) for yielding this evening. I am absolutely embarrassed to come after my friend, Congressman Greg Meeks. Why in the world would the gentleman put me on the schedule to come to the podium at this very moment? But I thank the gentleman, in any event, for his friendship, and I thank the gentleman for his extraordinary leadership. I was in the gentleman's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, a few weeks ago and absolutely enjoyed going to church with him and meeting many of his friends there in Louisville. The gentleman is a great Member of this body, and I thank the gentleman so very much. But, Mr. Speaker, I stand with Congressman Meeks and Congressman Cohen and all of my colleagues today to recognize and to remember a great American, a true American hero. We honor and we remember this extraordinary life and the accomplishments and the countless contributions of Muhammad Ali. Born just 5 years before me in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., was born to Cassius Marcellus Clay and Mrs. Odessa Lee Grady Clay. Those were his parents. On March 6, 1964, when I was a junior in high school, after joining the Nation of Islam, Cassius Clay became known as Muhammad Ali. {time} 1830 Mr. Cohen, I remember it like it was yesterday. His interest in boxing began at the age of 12 after he reported a stolen bicycle to a local police officer named Joe Martin, who was also a boxing trainer.…”