Political Quotes

“I thank Chairman Sessions for holding this Special Order. It means, I think, a lot not only to the Scouts that are here in the House of Representatives and the Senate to recognize the importance of Scouting to our country, but to all the mothers, fathers, and Scouts that are seeing this proceeding on C-SPAN or will hear about it to realize that they are participating in something that is very special. I mean, I think of Scouting, really, Mr. Speaker, as a gift to the country for all of the reasons that the previous speakers have noted. I can't think about Scouting without thinking about what it has meant to me, Chairman Sessions, and influencing on my young life. Role models is the first thing that comes to mind with Scouting. I think about my dad--who was not an Eagle Scout. He was a Sea Scout--and he ended up being basically a Life Scout for life, as people say in Scouting. But nobody was more influential to me in my youth than my dad--currently 91 years old--a Scout still at heart, and all the experiences we had together, how we bonded as father and son, and how, when I went off to college, Mr. Speaker, he continued to be a role model and adult leader for young men for years to come. That is the kind of person that is in every one of our communities all over this country, helping mold our young people through the Scouting program. Mr. Speaker, Scouting was my first paid job. I worked at a Scout camp.…”