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Floor Speech

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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I look at the photo and say, Doug, for 12 years, you and I represented the Sacramento River. We developed a friendship based upon the working part, but mostly upon sharing, sharing things. We would get on the airplane to fly to Washington, and you had your seat all the time. We said hello and talked about what was coming and then going home. It was a friendship that was deep and meaningful. There was plenty of work to do.

The Sacramento River is the most important river in California after the Colorado. It was yours. You had the upper, and I had the lower part of it. Together, we worked to protect the river, to protect the farmers, and to protect the flow of water. It is good work, and you did a good job. You were good at representing your district and representing the very complex issues.

I remember standing on one of the levees, and you were talking about your rice field. I said, Doug, let me talk about my cows in my fields. He said, Okay, you go ahead, but I am going to go first.

You shared your knowledge with me and with others. You were good. You were really good at the work you did for your people. You were a quality Representative.

I miss you. I miss the work that we did together on the Sacramento River Valley and all the issues that we had. It is a long list, and it would take another hour to go through them all.

I miss you, and Patti misses you because she would get up from her seat and go back to your seat, which you always had on that plane, and the two of you would talk and share.

I know your family misses you. I know your constituents miss you. Doug LaMalfa, you are going to be remembered by those of us who have had the honor of working with you.

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