On the recordDecember 19, 2012
I want to join with my colleagues in expressing thanks and giving praise to our outgoing chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. He's not leaving Congress, he's just leaving the chairmanship of the Congressional Black Caucus. I don't usually come over here for these 5-minute speeches or 1- minute speeches, but today I thought I would make an exception to say some things about our outgoing chair. I want to make two points. First of all, contrary to the perception that's out in the world, there are no bad people in this body. All of us are good people who are here to serve the American people, and our constituents in particular. I characterize us as all good guys--and that includes female in that good guys category too. But then there are people who because of their particular qualities I would put in a category of really, really, really good people. It doesn't take long to detect those people; it comes through in their manner, in the way that they deal with their colleagues and the way that they consult and console you when you really need consultation and consolation; and the way they give you advice or fail to give you advice or don't give you advice when you either need it or don't need it. They're not in the way; they're just really, really, really good people. That's the category in which I would put our outgoing chair, Chairman Emanuel Cleaver. And his leadership has been outstanding, but it's not that that I came to praise.…
