[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 77 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1063]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LARRY COMBEST

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2003

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my best wishes to 
Larry Combest as he embarks on a new direction in life. Mr. Combest has 
served the people of Texas' 19th district with distinction and honor 
for almost two decades.
  During the last four years, I had the privilege of working with him 
in his role as Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. I can safely 
say it is probably the most bipartisanship committee in Congress. This 
tradition of bipartisan is long standing, and Mr. Combest exemplified 
this tradition as Chairman.
  It is because of his bipartisan leadership that Congress was able to 
pass a new farm bill last year, garnering a huge bipartisan majority in 
the U.S. House of Representatives. It was also during his tenure as 
Chairman that the Committee passed legislation through Congress to 
improve university research on agriculture and the federal crop 
insurance program. It is not a stretch to say that Mr. Combest made a 
significant impact on U.S. agriculture in brief time as Chairman. There 
can be no doubt that he has been a strong voice in Congress and a 
consistent advocate for our nation's agriculture community.
  Larry, we wish you and Sharon all the best; and know that your kind 
of leadership will be sorely missed in Congress.

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