Marcy Kaptur: “I wish to add my words to that of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the Florida delegation in extending our…”

“I wish to add my words to that of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the Florida delegation in extending our deepest love and appreciation to our treasured colleague from the State of Florida (Mrs. Meek). Without question, her spirit carries this institution, and she has given hope, not only to her district, but to the people of our entire country. Each of us here in the House knows we are serving with an historic figure, and we thank her family, we thank the people of Florida, of Miami, for sending her here in order that our country be a better place in which to live. I think every single Member here whose life she has touched is a better person for knowing her. She has strengthened us when we were at our weakest, she has made us laugh when we were taking ourselves too seriously, and even as recently as this afternoon she was fighting for the weakest and the poorest among us in the Committee on Appropriations in a several-year effort that she has fought to get rid of usurious lending and check-cashing facilities across this country that prey on the poorest among us. I will never meet another person like the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), and I say to the gentlewoman, I hope that you will come back to us as often as you wish, because you have a seat in the office of every single person on both sides of the aisle of this Chamber.”