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Rep. Sander M. Levin

I want to join my colleagues in remembering Ed Jenkins--and Mr. Rangel, who served with him for all of Ed's service, as chairman, I will yield time to him after I say just a few words on behalf of Ed Jenkins.

The Ways and Means Committee is indeed a key committee, and Ed Jenkins was a key person. I was reading some of the tributes, and one of them noted what was said in the Almanac of American Politics about Ed Jenkins: ``He was a man who must be consulted on many key legislative issues.'' How true that was.

Ed Jenkins showed you could be both gentle and strong. He did not seek the limelight, but he shed light on so many issues. One example is the textile industry. He comes from an area that once reined close to supremely in terms of textile.

Ed never gave up. He introduced legislation. It passed, but because of a veto, it did not become law. But talking about shining light, he did expose the importance of the textile industry as part of the manufacturing base of this country, and in that sense, he was very successful. He also showed his grit when it came to the Iran-contra dispute, and he took on Oliver North in his strong though gentle way.

I close my remarks with memories of Ed Jenkins when he would come right up to where I now stand, and almost invariably he would say, well, I'm just a poor country lawyer. Well, that's about the only thing that he said about himself that wasn't true. He was more than a poor country lawyer. He had been an Assistant U.S. Attorney. But he had a lot of quiet dynamism.

And so, as we talk about Ed, we remember the many times he came forth to speak in his soft but often strong way. He was an important part of this institution. He served his district, he served his State, and he served the Nation with dignity, with pride, and with civility that is too short available today in this Hall.

So I join all of you from Georgia who represent that State and everyone who has spoken in sending our warmest regards to Ed's family, and say to all of you, you should remember your husband and dad not only as a wonderful family member, but someone who came here, often at sacrifice, and he did so in a way that indeed served this country.

I would now like to yield the balance of my time to someone who knew Ed so well who has served as chairman of our committee and who remembers Ed Jenkins with such affection, the senior member for the State of New York, Charles Rangel.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel

Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Rep. Charles B. Rangel

I would like unanimous consent that we extend it to 2 minutes additional. This is the end of it for Ed Jenkins, and I did not know.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel

I would like to request the Chair recognize me for 5 minutes.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel

Could the Chair tell me what request you might entertain so I can share my views for the late Ed Jenkins?

Rep. Charles B. Rangel

Well, rules are rules, and they have to be followed. I had really hoped that given my long acquaintance with Ed Jenkins that I would have the opportunity to share with his family and those that knew him.

Unfortunately, those of us that were raised in the village of Harlem have very few opportunities to meet white Southern gentlemen, and it took a long while when he came on the committee for me to even understand what Ed Jenkins was talking about. But it didn't take long for me to understand that people are people no matter where they come from; they love, they get angry, they work out things. Now is the time I think more than ever that we just need somebody like Ed Jenkins to cross that barrier that we seem to have in a partisan way, in such a deep, hurting, partisan way in this Congress.

Sandy Levin can tell you, whenever our chairman Dan Rostenkowski had a problem, there was no problem that Ed Jenkins would not take a look at and recognize that it was not a Democratic problem, it was not a majority problem, but it was a problem that the United States of America really faced.

Since the Chair cannot entertain, I will then go to Reverend John Lewis and find out how we can work out something in a faith tradition so that all of us will get a chance to know, enjoy, and love the memory of a great American, the former Congressman, Edgar Jenkins.