Nick Rahall: “On May 8 this year, the Nation lost a great man, a former U.S. Senator, a beloved West Virginian, a great orator, a man…”

“On May 8 this year, the Nation lost a great man, a former U.S. Senator, a beloved West Virginian, a great orator, a man of civility and courtesy, a master of the legislative compromise, a builder of concrete, asphalt and stone, and a builder of character named Jennings Randolph, who died at the grand old age of 96. When Senator Randolph passed on, it was truly the end of an era. He was the last living Member of Congress from the New Deal era, making him the last of the New Deal legislators who voted to enact the Social Security System and a minimum wage. On May 11 of this year, had he lived, Senator Randolph would have marked the 65th anniversary of his freshman speech on the floor of the House. He spoke on the subject of Mother's Day, an event founded by fellow West Virginian Anna Jarvis, and his speech, an eloquent one, was entitled, 'The Unapplauded Molders of Men'. This speech was given on the 69th day of Roosevelt's famous first 100 days, and on that day Jennings Randolph the great orator was born.”