On the recordDecember 13, 2012
I thank my colleague from Iowa. I actually want to echo the words of Nick Joe Rahall in commending both of you gentleman--especially Tom--for organizing this Special Order. I think it says something about each of your character and your respect for the process and for this institution. We hear a lot about how the camaraderie or the goodwill has deteriorated in this body, but I think, at least so far as Iowa politics is concerned and a lot of us from the Midwest, that's not the case. There's strong differences, but there's also strong respect and a recognition that we're working on something that's greater than all of us and we're trying to do our best for the American people and for our country. I got to know Leonard Boswell and his wife Dody--I don't know if you remember this, but I think it was in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in 1979. A new freshman Member of Congress, my wife and 8-year-old daughter and I went up to Hershey. They had a bipartisan conference there for a couple of days. It was really fun. We got to go on tours and had different sessions. They broke us down into different groups, and my wife and I happened to be the same group with Leonard and Dody, and we hit it off right away, feeling that here was someone who was not your typical idea of what a politician is but someone who is in it for the right reason and doing public service and was a decent person. Leonard is, I think, a very, very low-key, very proud, and very tough person.…
