Political Quotes

“I came down here with a text on one of the many issues before this country. I am putting that text away, because I too want to reflect upon Bill Emerson and publicly express my deep sympathy to his family. I served on the Agriculture Committee with Bill Emerson for the last two sessions. He was without question a tough Republican and we banged heads. Sometimes we banged heads hard. But Bill Emerson was a man with a very big heart. He has left me with three impressions that I will particularly remember: The first, he was a man of strong faith. I remember vividly when he presided over the National Prayer Breakfast in 1993, my first year in Congress. Second, he was a man that approached the duties of a legislator with professionalism. When we would bang heads, we would walk out of committee, and that would be the end of it. We were each trying to do the best we could, we understood that about each other, and our policy differences never came between our friendship. We have too little of that in this Chamber. I hope we remember the example of Bill Emerson and do a better job, each of us, going forward in the tough debates that are ahead. Third, he was a man of incredible courage. We all watched as he maintained his perfect voting record this year in a state of obviously disintegrating health. It was terrible to watch someone we love like Bill grow sick and obviously failing right in front of us.”