Charles Skelton: “Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true southern gentleman, a good friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of a…”

“Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true southern gentleman, a good friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of a strong national defense. I had the privilege and pleasure of serving with him on the Committee on Armed Services during his chairmanship, and I found that he always worked for the betterment of our men and women in uniform and for our national security. I will miss him. I will miss him very much. Almost a year ago, an overflow crowd gathered in the Committee on Armed Services hearing room for the unveiling of Floyd's portrait as chairman of the committee. Often we do not have the chance to let friends know how we feel about them before they are gone, so I am very grateful that we had that evening together to enjoy Floyd's company, and to let him know personally how much he meant to us. Floyd Spence began serving this country as an active duty member of the United States Navy Reserve during the Korean conflict. That service continued until the end of his life. Our former chairman understood that our Nation needs a strong national defense, and he worked tirelessly with Members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our Armed Forces and to take care of the men and women in uniform and their families. No one spoke out more forcefully on the need to maintain readiness. On rare occasions we disagreed, but never disagreeably.”