Lamar Smith: “The purpose of tonight's Special Order is to celebrate our friend and colleague Ralph Hall's distinguished service in…”

“The purpose of tonight's Special Order is to celebrate our friend and colleague Ralph Hall's distinguished service in Congress. If there were a congressional hall of fame, tonight would be Representative Hall's induction as the oldest--some would say the most seasoned--voting Member in the House of Representatives. As Members of Congress, we have the distinct honor of serving the American people. Each day as a Representative can be both challenging and rewarding; and though we sometimes make headlines, we do not always make history. {time} 1920 That is why today is especially important. Today is a day for the history books. After 32 years of service, Congressman Ralph Hall today became the eldest Member of Congress to cast a vote in the House of Representatives. And on Christmas Day of this year, Representative Hall will become the oldest Member of the House to have ever served in our Nation's history. They say that with age comes wisdom. So Congressman Hall may also be the wisest man to have served in the House of Representatives. They also say that some things get better with age. In Representative Hall's case, his commitment to both his country and his constituents just continues to increase. Since he was 19 years old, Ralph Hall has led a life of service for which we can all be grateful. As a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II, Chairman Hall served as a pilot, and since then he has never hesitated to accomplish a mission.…”