John Scott Duarte: “I thank Congressman Calvert for this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank, admire, and pay respect to my…”

“I thank Congressman Calvert for this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank, admire, and pay respect to my good friend, Speaker Kevin McCarthy. For many years I supported candidates, many of the men I admire here and many of the ladies. I did fundraisers, and they came to my house. Kevin was one of them. When this race came up where I decided to run for Congress, I looked to the example of Kevin McCarthy, and I said: America is about to turn socialist. If I don't step up and work alongside Kevin McCarthy to win this seat, to win this critical majority today, then I may grow old in a socialist country for lack of my own efforts and for lack of seeing the inspiration and responding to the tireless work of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who is a dear friend of mine and a dear friend of many. I know in the years to come when--however far forward it is--when I talk about my time in Congress, the conversation will quickly go to an American hero, Kevin McCarthy, who tirelessly and successfully worked to stop socialism in America by winning this critical majority here in Congress. I thank Kevin for our freedom, his leadership, and I thank him for his friendship. I wish the best to him in the future. I will be here in Congress while he does his thing, and I am happy to see it.”