Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is a sad day for us, but what a joy for all of us to have served with Sam Johnson, a bona fide American hero, to serve with him in the Congress. I appreciate that the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise) mentioned him and John Lewis in the same sentence, because I had the privilege-- John Larson set up a Heroes Night, a bipartisan Heroes Night, and I had the privilege of giving Sam the award that night as a true hero. He always beamed when he talked about Shirley, and he loved the children, his son, Bob. Now he is with them, with Shirley and Bob. This was a very special person. I was mentioning to the distinguished whip earlier that we were there when the room was named for him. We were there when his picture was hung. He always wanted us all around him to celebrate the recognition that he received so that he could boast of his bipartisanship and his patriotism, which we all admired. I was mentioning to the distinguished whip and Mr. Thornberry and others that on one of those occasions he had a fellow prisoner of war there with him, and that bond is something so beyond anything we can imagine. Imagine the strength, the courage, the patriotism, just the faith in God that he had. So I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to share some personal comments about a really great man; always friendly, always smiling, always teasing about political differences but, as always, just being a model of greatness to all of us.”