Lamar Smith: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, let me say that I am absolutely privileged and honored to be here…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, let me say that I am absolutely privileged and honored to be here tonight to be able to talk about such a good friend, Howard Coble. If I were to describe Howard in two words--and this is an ultimate compliment in my book--it would be that he is a gentleman and a scholar, and there aren't too many people who actually succeed in achieving both those kinds of distinctions. So, Howard, it is nice to be with you tonight. You are here in the front row of the House Chamber, and we celebrate your contributions to public service, and we honor you for being the great person that you are. I have often said--and I have mentioned this to Howard Coble in person--that if there were such a thing as a congressional class president, it would be Howard Coble. Now, we don't have such a thing as a class president, but if we did, I think Howard would be nominated and voted upon and approved by acclamation. He is that popular here. He is that dearly loved and respected by all of us. I have had the privilege of sitting next to him on the Judiciary Committee for many, many years, and during that time, I have watched Howard work; I have watched him speak; and I have watched him think. He has been the chairman of three subcommittees on the Judiciary Committee--first, Crime; second, Administrative Law; and, third, Intellectual Property--that being the most recent subcommittee that he has chaired.…”