Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to commend the distinguished public service of a true statesman from my State of Alaska, John Katz. At the new year, John will step down as director of the State of Alaska's national office here in Washington, DC, after nearly three decades in that position. John Katz is an Alaska pioneer. He has been a key player in virtually every major public policy decision in Alaska for the past 40 years--and Alaska has only been a State for 52 years. John helped Alaska's transition to statehood in our formative years. He shaped and implemented key congressional laws, including the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. John laid the foundation for Alaska's robust resource-based economy, which at one point was providing this Nation a quarter of its domestic oil. John has helped transform the Last Frontier into a modern society, bringing basic facilities like water, sewer, and phone service to a territory one-fifth the size of the lower 48 States. Overall, John has helped carefully manage Alaska's often strained relationship with the Federal Government. After working as a high school teacher and coach in Baltimore public schools, John began his long career of service to Alaska when he joined the staff of Alaska Congressman Howard Pollock. My dad, Nick Begich, succeeded Representative Pollock as Alaska's lone Member of the U.S. House. In 1971, John became a legislative assistant to then-Senator Ted Stevens.…”