Steve Stivers: “I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to say a few things about our five departing colleagues…”

“I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding. I would like to say a few things about our five departing colleagues, who have given great service to our country. I want to thank them on behalf of the people of the 15th District for their incredible service and talk a little bit about each one. I'll start with Congressman Steve LaTourette, whose service in Congress has really been incredible, and he's been a role model for many of us who are younger. He's been a great mentor. He's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He knows that we've got to work together as Republicans and Democrats to solve our Nation's problems. He's an illustration of what a good Member of Congress should be-- someone who's always thinking about their constituents. Steve LaTourette had been a mainstay of Congress, and it won't be the same here without him, especially on transportation issues. I'd like to just thank him for his support, as I had a transportation bill earlier in this Congress. He was very helpful. I had a plan to try to fund transportation projects differently, and he sat down with me and worked me through the process and helped me sit down with the folks at the Congressional Budget Office and folks in leadership to sell my idea. That bill passed the House with bipartisan support, with 20 Democrats voting for it and a lot of Republicans voting for it. I know I couldn't have gotten that done without Congressman LaTourette. I'm sorry to see him retire.…”