one word i would use to describe elijah over and over again are the words future. he was there to make the future for our children whom he called as has been said, our living messengers to a future we will never see. but he wanted for those children to have a future worthy of their aspirations. and he wanted them to have a future built on our values, continuing to be built on our values. as a master of the house he was also the mentor of the house. was anybody in here mentored by elijah cummings? i think so. it was no surprise when we had the election and we won the congress that elijah said send me as many freshmen as you can because i want to help them be oriented to reach their fullest potential in the house of