[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H2159-H2160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM GUSTE, JR.
(Mr. RICHMOND asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a true
statesman who was a guiding light for Louisiana for many years. I am
talking about former Louisiana Attorney General William ``Billy''
Guste.
Attorney General Guste passed away last summer, but I wanted to take
a moment to discuss his impact on my home State and discuss who he was
as a man because he represents what was best about Louisiana.
You see, Mr. Speaker, he was a fighter. He fought for what was right.
He fought for average Louisiana citizens. He fought tooth and nail for
environmental justice, for racial fairness, for coastal restoration,
for affordable housing, and for the homeless. During his 20 years of
service as attorney general, he was always trying to fight for things
that he believed would help ordinary, average people.
We should remember this lesson, Mr. Speaker, so that we remember that
our
[[Page H2160]]
fights should mean something. We should fight to improve the lives of
our constituents, not to win political battles.
Growing up in Louisiana, I am a direct beneficiary of Billy Guste's
courage to do what was truly right and truly compassionate. In that
tradition, Mr. Speaker, I say we must honor Mr. Guste's legacy by doing
the same.
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