Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding to me on this very special Special Order. I thank you for affording me the opportunity to visit with Speaker Wright, as you mentioned, in just the recent past. On a number of occasions and visits to Texas, I have had the privilege of basking in his glow, because that is what we did here in the Congress of the United States. When Jim Wright was the Speaker of the House, I had the privilege to serve under his leadership for a short period of time because I was a new Member at the time. And when he would come to this floor, to this well, to speak as the Speaker of the House, his oratory was just so compelling. People would stop what they were doing to listen to what Jim Wright had to say and how he said it. In some ways, that was of another era that hearkened back to how the business or the work of Congress was conducted, where people would come and actually listen to the debate. He was a man of great oratorical skill, of course, a legislative master, but he was also a person of great courage and a person of great principle. Tonight we gather on the floor to honor the memory of this great Speaker of the House. From the service that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II to leadership that defined his 34 years in the House, Jim Wright exemplified commitment to the bright future of America's families. He was a great patriot.…”