Political Quotes

“I thank Mr. Carter for those wonderful words. I know Ray had such great respect for the gentleman from Georgia and other colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the committee. The working relationships that he developed were almost unlike any other staffer I have ever known, because he really wasn't a staffer. It is kind of a funny thing. It is not like he thought of himself as a Member or anything. He was just Ray. He didn't let barriers keep him from helping people succeed. I just think for Oregon, my home State, he was kind of the sixth Congressman. The only thing he lacked was a voting card. People knew when Ray was speaking, he was speaking on my behalf. We could double up on Northwest issues, whether it was the Columbia River Treaty, rural telecom issues, or energy grid issues. It was really a twofer for the price of one. Well, maybe 1\1/2\. Ray had that ability to reach across the aisle, reach across any divide, and close the gap and make us better people. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just say that Ray was one of those people, as I said in the beginning, who left before we were ready, but not before he filled us with love, kindness, grace, and shared his wit and humor--some humor better than others. It was just good to have Ray. God bless him on his journey. God bless Kristine, his brother and sister and their families, and his kids and grandkids. He touched our lives.…”