Charles Skelton: “It is 1 year ago that we lost our friend, our colleague, my fellow Missourian, Bill Emerson. In his stead and in his…”

“It is 1 year ago that we lost our friend, our colleague, my fellow Missourian, Bill Emerson. In his stead and in his shoes today is that charming and wonderful gentlewoman from Missouri, Mrs. Jo Ann Emerson, who represents the Eighth District of the State of Missouri. The grief has passed, the loss of pain has passed, and I still find myself, Mr. Speaker, because I rode with him so very often to and from this work, at the end of the day standing toward the back looking around for my friend Bill to hitch a ride out to McLean. But we still have a lot of wonderful memories. His memories live on. He was truly an outstanding legislator. He understood bipartisanship. He understood what it was to represent wonderful people back home. He understood the legislative process. But most of all I found him, as so many, many did, as a friend, a true friend. What he leaves today is more for those who follow us in this Chamber and who lead and will lead America in the days and years ahead; to the pages, which he once was, to the young people who he spent so much time with in his office and back home in the Eighth District of Missouri, for he was truly a role model. I hope and pray that his memory will live in those young folks who will stand in his shoes, in our shoes in the years ahead. We miss him, but we revere his memory. We always shall.”