On the recordOctober 17, 2019
There are many things that we come to this floor to do. In the midst of our duties, we stand in this well as armor and advocates for democracy. There are moments of joy, and there are moments of high debate, but I come this morning partly for a moment of sadness. I am looking at my iPhone at a picture of myself and the late Congressman Elijah Cummings so many years ago. It tells the story of the breadth and depth of his life, when he invited Members of Congress to come to his district to challenge the scourge of HIV and to stand against the proliferation of addiction. He was always standing in the gap for his constituents, his beloved Baltimore, and his beloved family. He always considered himself as someone who would find a cure for the ailments of society. That is why, this morning, we have heard some of his words: ``Come on, people, we are better than this.'' The wonderment of his words that really came from his strong spiritual connection--I want everybody to know that he was able to say all of this and remain that steady figure in the eye of the storm because he was a man of faith who had no shame in his love of God and the teachings of his parents, who he reminded us all the time, as they rest in peace themselves, that they were sharecroppers. Look at him now. He ascended to greatness. As chairman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, his focus was not only on this recent impeachment inquiry.…
