Political Quotes

“As many of our colleagues know, tomorrow will mark my last day to walk onto this House floor as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. Since I announced my plans to leave this place in late May, a place where I have been so privileged and honored to work for the last 28 years--18 as a staffer and the last 10\1/2\ as a Representative--the past few days and weeks, as you might imagine, have been rather poignant. So many of you, my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle, have been so very kind to offer an encouraging word, or to extend heartfelt good wishes as I begin a new chapter in my life as the vice chancellor of government relations and economic development for the University of Alabama system. To each and every one of you who have been so generous with your words, thoughts, and even a few prayers, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. A few of you have even asked if I have any parting wisdom to offer, and I won't share these with my colleagues, I wouldn't do that to you, but I would like to speak for just one minute to the American people. You know, one of the reasons I so rarely come to the House floor and speak is because my father, who died when I was 13, always told me, my brother, and sister that if you listen to the words of others instead of listening to your own words, you'll learn a lot more. So I've tried to follow my father's advice.…”