Recognizing Grant Woods
Floor Speech
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Mr. STANTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a fine Arizona public servant who we unexpectedly lost just a few days ago: Grant Woods, our State's former attorney general, someone who made a lasting impact on every person he met and on our State and on our Nation.
Before he was an elected official in his own right, Grant was a staff member right here in the people's House. Then-Congressman John McCain chose Grant as his first chief of staff and they formed a friendship that lasted the rest of the great Senator's life.
They had a lot in common. They believed in bipartisanship and compromise, and they were both willing to ruffle a few feathers if they thought it was the right thing to do. And when it counted most, they lived by the most simple creed: country first.
In the 1990s, as Arizona's top law enforcement official, Grant earned a reputation as a fighter for the little guy, and for good reason. He was one of the attorneys general who took on Big Tobacco and won, earning the largest civil settlement in our Nation's history on behalf of countless Arizonans who had been harmed.
After he left elected office, he continued his crusades as one of the Nation's top trial attorneys. He was a true Renaissance man, a writer and a musician, and he was a passionate supporter of the arts and local artists. In fact, he is a member of the Arizona Music Hall of Fame.
He was a tireless advocate for children. In fact, there is a Boys & Girls Club in the East Valley named after Grant Woods. No one was a bigger fan of Arizona sports and sports teams than Grant Woods, and he was an occasional critic of those teams when they deserved it.
Grant reminded us that public service isn't about partisanship. It is about making life a little bit easier for the hardworking people you serve. His passing is a tremendous loss for all of Arizona. He will be forever remembered for his faithful service to our State, our country, and our democracy.
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