James Traficant: “I support the rule and I support the bill, and I was very saddened and it is saddening here today to realize that one of…”

“I support the rule and I support the bill, and I was very saddened and it is saddening here today to realize that one of the great Members of Congress, Mr. Moakley, is not here, who normally handles this bill. He was a friend of mine, and he was not afraid to be a friend of mine as some other Democrats were. He treated all Democrats fairly, and I think that is a legacy that speaks for itself. An old saying relative to Coach Vince Lombardi at Green Bay is that why did everybody love him? All his players said, everybody loved Coach Lombardi because he treated us all alike; like dogs at times but all alike. And Joe Moakley treated us all alike, the big chairman with all the power and just the little representatives with an idea. I have an amendment for this bill. I am going to support this bill whether it passes or not. I understand there has been a deal made that there is going to be no amendments, everybody is going to withdraw theirs. Well, I have news. I am not going to withdraw mine. My area used to be the third leading steel producing region of the world, and now I have my last steel mill in Chapter XI, with CSC being ready to be dismantled.”