Mike Conaway: “Before I get to the heart of what I came here to talk about, I would encourage the two gentleman who just spoke to sign…”

“Before I get to the heart of what I came here to talk about, I would encourage the two gentleman who just spoke to sign the discharge petition on the bill that would do much of what he just talked about, and that is reopen the PPP program to those small businesses that would be eligible to participate in that. So if they would take that small step, then that may be able to alleviate some of the issues we are dealing with. Madam Speaker, the first remarks that I gave in this Chamber were during the debate on a concurrent resolution to count the electoral college votes for President Bush and Vice President Cheney after the 2004 election. While I had been in the House Chamber before that January day in 2005, stepping up to the podium was an entirely different and nerve-racking experience. The Capitol is quite a bit more familiar to me now because it has been 16 years that I have been able to serve. The tunnels are no longer a mysterious labyrinth. I have grown accustomed to long days packed full of hearings and briefings and meetings. My walking speed is certainly quicker than it used to be. But it is with the same awe and wonderment that I felt on January 6, 2005, that I stand in this Chamber today to deliver my final floor speech as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. When Suzanne and I began this journey back in 2002, we had no idea that this is where it would wind up or how long it would last.…”