Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to acknowledge the contributions of a humanitarian and philanthropist from my area of South Florida, Mr. Jay Kislak. A Florida resident for over half a century, Jay is known to be one of the State's leading citizens, with an outstanding record of charitable projects and personal achievements. Jay's involvement in our community has included leadership roles in organizations like the Florida Council of 100, the Florida Historical Society, the Historical Association of Southern Florida, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, the University of Miami, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Miami Dade's Arts in Public Places Trust, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and the American Red Cross, among so many others. Jay's participation in our community is only matched by his involvement in the preservation of Florida's dynamic history. Over the years, and together with his wife Jean, Jay has collected countless rare books, maps, and art that capture the history and the culture of Florida, focusing especially on the early years of European exploration. Jay's collection is certainly one of the most comprehensive in the Nation. In 2004, Jay made an extraordinary gift to our country. He donated more than 3,000 of these rare books, manuscripts, and other objects to our Library of Congress. Known as ``Exploring the Early Americas'', this collection is now on display in the library's historic Thomas Jefferson building right across the street from us.…”