House Proceeding 09-08-09 on Sep 8th, 2009 :: 1:17:15 to 1:20:35
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1:17:11 to 1:17:32( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: personal stories and start out by recognizing david obey, from wisconsin. mr. obey: i thank the gentleman for the time. let me simply say that i see bill in two ways. first of all i see him as a legislator.

1:17:15 to 1:20:35( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: David R. Obey

1:17:33 to 1:17:53( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: he was a good solid legislator, a member of the appropriations committee, and i watched him day after day conduct his business with grace and with courage. it was not popular.

1:17:54 to 1:18:15( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: to oppose some of the tax and budget proposals president reagan was pushing, for instance, in the 1980's. i know in my district at the time 70% of the country favored those changes. bill hefner had courage enough to point out that the numbers just didn't add up. he carried on his conviction

1:18:16 to 1:18:37( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: and eventually facts proved him to be correct. bill was also a person who respected this institution, he respected the congress, he respected the country, he respected his party, he respected the other party, and he respected virtually every person in this institution.

1:18:38 to 1:19:02( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: and it showed in the way he dealt with others in this body. but my greatest and fondest memory of bill is rooted in his gospel singing. i happen to like bluegrass and i belong to a bluegrass band

1:19:03 to 1:19:23( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: called the capital offenses. i learned to love gospel music. and on many occasion bill would sing and i and members of my band would back him up. and i have to say he was one of the best singers we ever

1:19:24 to 1:19:45( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: performed with. he was -- he knew a wide range of gospel, but he also had a solid voice and he had fun doing it. he loved it. and you want to listen to him

1:19:46 to 1:20:08( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: knew that he loved it. he was a man of courage. he had a terrific sense of humor. and he could find a lot of ways to get things done by simply arming people in this place if logic wouldn't work, if substance wouldn't work, there was always the hefner charm to

1:20:09 to 1:20:30( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: push things over the edge. i was greatly saddened to learn of his death last week. but i have to say that i'm proud to have served in the same institution with a man of his courage, with a man of his integrity, and with a man of his good humor. i'm certain that he will be missed by his family and his

1:20:31 to 1:20:35( Edit History Discussion )

David R. Obey: friends. i very much am grateful for the fact that i was able to know