Charles Skelton: “Mr. Speaker, this is a sad moment for me. I know it is a sad moment for Virginians, and it is a sad moment for Americans…”

“Mr. Speaker, this is a sad moment for me. I know it is a sad moment for Virginians, and it is a sad moment for Americans who serve in the Armed Forces of our country. Herb Bateman was a friend. He was a colleague. We served on the Committee on Armed Services together, and I saw him through the years apply his considerable knowledge and his considerable efforts in the pursuit of maintaining a strong national security. He was the chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Readiness and took that position quite seriously. We have, as a result, considerably more readiness; and the men and women of our uniformed services are all the better for his work. Herb was a man of integrity, a man of knowledge, a man of ability who gave his country his best. We have enjoyed serving with him here in the Congress of the United States. We have enjoyed being his friend. My wife, Suzie, and I join with Members today in extending our sincere sympathy to his wife, Laura, and to his family, and to that very, very fine staff that he has, especially those who are across the hall from my office in the Rayburn Building. Our sympathy and condolences go out to them.”