Pete Sessions: “I thank the gentlewoman not only for taking the time to initiate this important discussion about our former colleague…”

“I thank the gentlewoman not only for taking the time to initiate this important discussion about our former colleague, the gentlewoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson, but also thank her for gathering together what I think is evidence of a solid performance that Eddie Bernice Johnson gave not just to the people of Texas, not just to the people of the United States Congress, but really to the people who all across the country benefited from Eddie Bernice Johnson's character, her desire to be friendly, her desire to work across the aisle, and her desire to make sure that she led a life that she would be proud of. I can attest to each of those in a strong way. I had an opportunity to work with Eddie Bernice Johnson, the Congresswoman from the 30th District of Texas, for some 22 years. During those 22 years, we had an opportunity to fly back and forth. We would meet at DFW Airport and get on the airplane and come up. She did not offer small talk. She offered talk of things that she saw. She would offer talk and discussions about things that she would hope that we would become, and not just Texas, but people. It was really an amazing opportunity for us, whether we were sitting, waiting for a plane, or on a plane and attempting to move back and forth, to hear not just the benefit of what I believe was an outward view of very positive things but really how she wanted to work together and do her part in that process.…”