Cole Mourns Loss of Chairman Bill Young

Statement

Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the passing of Congressman C.W. "Bill" Young (FL-13). Young served on the Appropriations Committee throughout most of his career, including as Chairman (1999-2005) and Ranking Member of the full committee and most recently as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Elected in 1970, Chairman Young was the longest serving Republican Member currently in the United States House of Representatives and will be greatly missed by his colleagues.

"It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of Congressman Young," said Cole. "Bill was an icon in Congress, but to me, he was a role model, a mentor and a patron. He served with great distinction on the Appropriations Committee throughout most of his career, and beginning in 2011, I had the great honor of serving under Chairman Young on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.

"No one in America cared more about our men and women in uniform than Bill and his wife Beverly. He made dozens of trips abroad to visit American service personnel in the field, and he was a regular visitor to our wounded warriors at Walter Reed and other service hospitals.

"After tornadoes ravaged my hometown of Moore earlier this year, Bill and Beverly Young immediately extended their heartfelt sympathy and support, but they went an extra mile by putting me in touch with their friends at Cantor Fitzgerald, a New York investment banking firm that lost hundreds of employees in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Thanks to Bill and Beverly, the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund generously donated $1,000 prepaid debit cards to each family who had a child in the Moore Public School District and whose home was damaged or destroyed during the storm.

"Bill was a patriot, a true gentleman and a towering figure for over 40 years in the "People's House.' He will be mourned by his family and many friends, his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, his constituents and, most importantly, by the men and women of America's Armed Forces. Bill was their champion, advocate and defender throughout his distinguished congressional career. My prayers and thoughts are with Beverly and his family during this trying time," concluded Cole.

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