“I was stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my great friend Cokie Roberts. She was a wonderful person, a leading journalist, and a great student of the Congress.

“I join in mourning with her husband Steve, their two children, their six grandchildren, and the entire Roberts and Boggs extended families.  I got to know Cokie well when I served alongside her mother, former Congresswoman Lindy Boggs, on the Appropriations Committee, and during Cokie’s time covering Congress for NPR and ABC News. Her father, Hale Boggs, was a predecessor of mine as House Majority Leader. I also attended Georgetown Law School with her brother and my very close friend, Tommy.

“I’ve been blessed to share many experiences over the years with Cokie, Tommy, and the Boggs family.  The legacy of service to our country of Cokie and her family is deep and inspiring, helping to improve countless lives and open doors of opportunity for women in politics and journalism.    “Cokie was a dear friend, and I admired her for her dedication to the cause she made her career: ensuring that Americans are informed about the actions of their leaders and that a free press holds officials accountable to the public. She was a trailblazer for women in journalism, and she was a woman of sharp intellect, deep patriotism, and great warmth.

“Cokie Roberts will long be remembered as much for the achievements of her storied career as she will be for the kindness with which she treated others.  Her memory will surely be a blessing and an inspiration to all who were fortunate to know her. I send my deepest sympathies to Steve and their entire family.”