[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13394]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE LARRY COMBEST

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2003

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be here tonight. 
I am honored to have served in the House of Representatives as a 
colleague of an outstanding Member of Congress, the gentleman from the 
19th District of Texas. I have been especially privileged to serve on 
the House Agriculture Committee under the chairmanship of Larry 
Combest. Chairman Combest's example of leadership, commitment and 
integrity serve as a model for all of us in Congress, especially those 
of us who care deeply about agriculture.
  When I came to Congress, I knew it was important to me to be 
associated with people who understood and cared about agriculture and 
the farmers and ranchers of America. It was my honor to become 
acquainted with Chairman Combest. He has been a mentor for me since 
that time of my arrival seven years ago.
  Those of us who represent agriculture in the House of Representatives 
are a minority. There are not enough of us, so what it takes is people 
who go beyond their numbers, who more than 1 out of 435 can make a 
difference. And the gentleman from Texas has done that because he is 
knowledgeable and understands the issues. Agriculture is in his blood. 
That is where he comes from. It is who he is. Farming and ranching is 
Larry Combest. And he is a leader; he cares about using that 
information and knowledge on behalf of those engaged in everyday 
activities trying to earn a living on America's farms and ranches.
  Mr. Combest's leadership in the Committee on Agriculture is 
extraordinary. It is just something that we have relied upon and at 
times perhaps taken for granted. As we worked our way through a farm 
bill in this last Congress, it is clear to me that because of his 
leadership--and sometimes only because of his leadership--things 
happened.
  Larry Combest has a commitment to what he believes in, and he 
believes in farmers and ranchers. He wants to see our family farms 
survive and prosper. He wants that rural way of life to continue. He 
has a commitment to serving his constituents and to helping American 
agriculture be here today and tomorrow.
  Perhaps most importantly, he has integrity. I have never known anyone 
I could trust more than Larry Combest. His word can be taken for what 
it is, his word. What he says is what he means. His advice is honestly 
given. I have never known him to mislead anyone. And it was that 
character and that integrity that made it possible for us to do things 
in agriculture on this House floor. People trusted him, they respected 
him, and they honored what he was about.
  As he returns home to Texas, it is with some sadness that we see our 
friend Larry Combest leave. We all invest in other people in this 
place. Often I suppose we spend too much time worrying about things 
that are not so important. But the thing that is important is the 
relationships, friendships, and understandings that we have with other 
Members of Congress. I consider it the highest honor to have been 
associated with Larry Combest during his term as a Member of Congress.
  His relationships with other Members of the House will not end with 
his departure. His friendship with President Bush has been beneficial 
to those of us who care about rural America, and we look forward to his 
continued involvement in issues that matter to us and to farmers and 
ranchers across the country.
  Public service is something that we all talk about and engage in as 
Members of Congress, but we would do well to learn from the example of 
Larry Combest. He exemplifies the role of a true public servant, who 
did what he thought was right, who fought the fight and made a 
difference on behalf of his constituents, on behalf of all Texans, and 
on behalf of the people of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish both Larry and his wife Sharon the absolute best 
in their future years. I thank them both for their friendship. I honor 
and respect them, and I hope the fish bite. Thank you, Larry.

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