Pelosi Floor Speech Honoring Chief Judge John M. Roll
Washington, D.C. - Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in support of a resolution to name a federal courthouse in Yuma, Arizona the "John M. Roll United States Courthouse." Below are the Leader's remarks:
"I thank the gentle lady for yielding. I thank her and you, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this bill to the floor, this resolution to name a federal courthouse in Yuma, Arizona for John M. Roll to be called the ‘John M. Roll United States Courthouse.' How appropriate.
"Chief Judge Roll was a dedicated public servant--as our colleagues have referenced--serving as a federal judge, an Arizona state judge and as a prosecutor at the city, county and at the federal levels.
"And Chief Judge Roll was a proud son of Arizona, moving there as a little boy, but lived there for the vast majority of his life, receiving his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Arizona.
"Tragically, Chief Judge Roll was one of the six Americans who were taken from us during the horrific shooting in Tucson. He died while helping to save the life of Ron Barber, as has been mentioned, a staffer for Congresswoman Giffords--protecting him with his own body. He had just come from Mass. I spoke to his wife Maureen the other day, and she said that was his regular routine on Saturday, to go to Mass in the morning.
"He then went from there to see Congresswoman Gabby Giffords at ‘Congress on Your Corner,' and you know what happened next. He was talking to her, going to talk to her about securing resources for the overwhelmed court system. This was characteristic, as he dedicated his entire life to ensuring justice. He was known as a scholar of the law and a man of integrity. And he is an example of the public servants who are doing serious and significant work in the judiciary every day.
"We had the honor, when we went to Tucson with the President, to visit Gabby and to meet with some of the families to also take pride in the fact that Justice Anthony Kennedy from the Supreme Court came on the trip, as well as Sandra Day O'Connor who is from Arizona, who was there that evening as well. They were joined by other judges who served, justices who served with Judge Roll, as a tribute to him personally and officially. It was wonderful to hear the beautiful statements that they made in our conversations about Chief Judge Roll, and they all sang the praises of Maureen Roll.
"So I hope it is a comfort to Maureen, to their three sons, and five grandchildren that so many people are saddened by their loss, are praying for them in this sad time, and that this courthouse will long stand as a tribute--and an appropriate tribute--to Judge Roll."