Patrick Kennedy: “I am very honored today to be able to rise and speak about my good friend, Ron Dellums. I am pleased to be able to rise…”

“I am very honored today to be able to rise and speak about my good friend, Ron Dellums. I am pleased to be able to rise on behalf of my family who, if every member of my family who has ever worked with Ron could be here standing in my place today, they would be doing so and a lot more eloquently than I am about to do. But nonetheless, if my eloquence has anything to do with it, it has definitely been because I have been listening to you, Ron, for the last 3 years as my ranking member of the Committee on National Security. I think if anybody in this House thinks about you and how articulate you are, how educated and intellectual you are, and how principled you are; moreover, how principled you are, Ron, they know that they have heard the best debates about where this country should go and where it has not gone the way it should be going from you over your many years in public service. I have been fortunate to be able to come to know you in the 3 years I have been in the Congress and to be able to really consider one of the great opportunities I have had in this Congress to serve with the likes of yourself.”