[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 80 (Thursday, May 15, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H4048]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF THOMAS BOGGS

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday I was absent from this Chamber. 
Had I been here, I would have voted for Mr. Frank's bill and Ms. 
Waters' bill which dealt with the foreclosure crisis and the 
neighborhoods that have been affected thereby.
  It was a difficult decision for me not to be here for I haven't 
missed a day in my 2 years that I've been in the Congress, but a very 
dear friend of mine, Thomas Boggs, passed away, and I was asked to be a 
pallbearer at his funeral, which I was honored to do.
  Thomas Boggs was one of the finest people that I've had the pleasure 
of knowing, nearly 35 years. He was a leading citizen in Memphis, 
Tennessee, giving much to the community and charitable works to people, 
regardless of income, status or race. No matter where they came from, 
Thomas reached out to try to be good to them.
  He was very helpful with the Memphis Food Bank, with the Memphis Zoo, 
with raising money for the church health center that gives health care 
to people in need.
  And his death was met with a lot of notice, notice that's not 
normally reserved for an individual: above-the-fold first page of the 
Memphis Commercial Appeal, a lead editorial, and a cartoon.
  He was a wonderful human being. He has a great family. He was a good 
father, and he had many great friends. Even though we're 
Congresspeople, we need to remember we're citizens and humans and 
remember our friends on their last day.

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