[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REMEMBERING THE HON. DONALD PAYNE

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I would like to speak about my dear 
friend and colleague, Donald Payne, who passed away this morning. I saw 
him on Saturday for the last time, and I can't think of anybody who in 
this House has been closer to me and someone who made it so much better 
for us to be in Congress, not only for all of us as colleagues but also 
for the rest of the world.
  Donald always made me smile. Donald was a very serious person who 
cared so much about his constituents in Norwich and the rest of the 
towns that he represented in New Jersey and really reached out to the 
rest of the world. He was always looking out for the concerns of the 
poor and the disadvantaged and the people in need, whether it was their 
health care or whether they had adequate food or housing.
  But I think more than anything else, I remember his smile. He would 
always be happy. He would always have a joke to say; and, frankly, in 
dealing with all the serious issues that he dealt with and he cared so 
much about, both here at home, as well as overseas, it was always nice 
to have someone that you could call a friend, that you could confide 
in, that you could talk to about your own problems as well, but always 
with that smile, always with that joke, always with the ability to say, 
Frank, you know, let's not take ourselves too seriously, even though we 
have a lot of serious work to do.
  I will sorely miss him. I don't think there will be anybody who can 
replace him, and I just want to reach out to his family and his friends 
back at home today and express my sympathy to all of them for such a 
wonderful person that you were able to share some time with here.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Would the gentleman yield for just a 
moment?
  Mr. PALLONE. I yield to the gentlewoman.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Just one simple statement. I couldn't leave 
the floor.
  Just to express our love and affection for Don Payne and just to say 
that he saved lives because he intruded in places like Africa and 
Sudan, in Africa and many other places. He saved lives because of his 
compassion for people, his fight for human rights, and his fight for 
peace.
  Mr. PALLONE. Thank you.

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