Jones Statement On Congressman Coble's Passing

Statement

Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) made this statement about the passing of his dear friend, former Congressman Howard Coble:

"I was very sorry to hear about the passing of my dear friend Howard Coble. Our friendship was unique. We met and became friends when we served in the state house in North Carolina. Later, when Howard came to Congress, he became friends with my father when they served on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee together. When I came to Congress in 1995, Howard and I rekindled our friendship from years past. We had a deep friendship built on respect and love, and it was very special. We had dinner many times together and he would always kid me--in a fun way--about being from Eastern North Carolina. I used to call him "The Leader," which caught on among our colleagues in Congress and which always made Howard laugh," said Congressman Jones. "Howard Coble was an outstanding member of the House. He was well respected and loved by both sides. For months after he retired, many members came up to me to ask how Howard was. He was missed in Congress. With Howard's passing, North Carolina has lost a great public servant. Our loss is God's gain."

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