Charles Rangel: “My colleagues, I rise to pay tribute to one of the great Americans that we have ever had in this body, Congresswoman…”

“My colleagues, I rise to pay tribute to one of the great Americans that we have ever had in this body, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro. Most of the people remember her as an exciting Vice Presidential candidate, but those of us in the New York delegation remember her as just a great personality, a great legislator, and a great American. We in the New York delegation have been fighting for time in which we could express ourselves, but the legislative calendar has not been very kind to us. So this morning we have two of her dear friends in Congresswoman McCarthy and Congresswoman Maloney, and I suspect that every time a New York Member gets an opportunity, we will grab that time so that no one will ever say that she did not leave footprints here that all of us were just so proud. {time} 1020 She succeeded Jim Delaney, who was known to be a very conservative Democrat from Long Island. And we all awaited to see just who was going to succeed Jim. And to see this beautiful, intellectual former teacher, former assistant district attorney to come here, we all waited with breath held back to see just what type of woman she would be. And even though she held closely those conservative views, it has never been presented to this body in a more eloquent, a more charming way as we found ourselves with this new exciting candidate who later became a Member and became a part of the leadership of the New York delegation.…”