Thomas J. Rooney

Mr. Speaker, this is the last time I will have the privilege to address this body.

It has been an honor to serve the people of Florida's 16th and 17th Districts over the last 10 years. I am eternally grateful for the trust that the people of Florida's heartland bestowed upon me to be their voice in the United States Congress for the last five terms.

I would not have been able to do this job without the great work of my staff both here in Washington, D.C., and back in Florida. Thank you, Team Rooney.

Thanks always to the love and support of my family: my mom and dad; my brothers and sisters, Pat, Joe, Suzanne, Terry, Chris, Molly, and Brian; and, most importantly, to my wife, Tara; and my sons, Tommy, Jr., Sean Patrick, and Seamus. I will be home soon. I love you guys.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Nathaniel Reed of Jupiter, Florida, a Florida environmental icon, who died on July 11, 2018 at the age of 84.

He loved nature and the Florida environment and devoted most of his life for fighting for Florida's national wonders like the Everglades. But my favorite memory will be hunting quail with Mr. Reed.

As an aide to the Governor, he stopped the construction of an airport in the Florida Everglades because the construction would have meant devastation to the Everglades and Big Cypress swamp.

Mr. Reed appreciated wildlife and is also one of the authors of the Endangered Species Act, which protects many animals, including several in Florida. He later ended up founding 1,000 friends of Florida to preserve special places in our state.

Nat Reed is an institution in the state of Florida and he was a wonderful mentor to me.

Our state lost a real leader and a friend to many and he will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Nathaniel ``Nat'' Reed of Jupiter Island, a Florida environmental icon who died today at the age of 84.

Mr. Reed loved nature and the Florida environment and devoted most of his life to fighting for Florida's natural wonders like the Everglades. My finest memory of him will be hunting quail near Hobe Sound.

As an aide to former Governor Claude Kirk, Mr. Reed successfully stopped the construction of an airport in the Florida Everglades because the construction would have meant devastation to the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp.

Mr. Reed appreciated wildlife and was also one of the authors of the Endangered Species Act, which protects many animals, including several in Florida. He later ended up founding 1000 Friends of Florida, to preserve special places in our State.

Nat Reed is an institution in the State of Florida, and he was a wonderful mentor to me. Our State lost a real leader and a friend to many, and he will be greatly missed.