Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished gentlewoman for yielding. It is with great sadness that we gather here today to honor the life and the leadership and legacy of Don Payne, Jr., but also celebrate that life, that leadership, and that legacy of our dear brother, who was a gentle giant; a kind, compassionate man; powerhouse in terms of his legislative capacity, though he didn't spend a lot of time promoting his accomplishments. He just let the work be done and speak for itself. However, that is work that was transformational. He stood up for the people that he represented in his beloved Brick City of Newark, his beloved State of New Jersey, and for people all across the country, particularly underrepresented communities in the area of healthcare. He was a champion in providing access and information and affordability to Black men and to other historically underrepresented communities suffering from disproportionate high rates of ailments, and that is a legacy that will be with us in this Congress, in this country, and, indeed, throughout the world for years and decades to come. It was my honor, along with Joyce Beatty and Robin Kelly and Steven Horsford and Marc Veasey, to come into Congress together with Donald Payne, Jr. He often made reference to the fact that he arrived a few months before us in a special election, so we affectionately called him the dean of the class of 2012.…”