Political Quotes

“I rise today to note with pride an accomplishment of one of my constituents. Bonny Jain, of Moline, IL, won the National Geographic Bee here in Washington, DC, on May 24 by correctly identifying the Cambrian Mountains on a map. I don't know if they have ``phone a friend'' in the bee, but it is good that he didn't call me because I thought a Cambri was a small Toyota. His victory in this competition demonstrates a laudable dedication to scholarship. As technology makes the world smaller, knowledge of other peoples and cultures becomes more important. And cultures are shaped by geography. Geography is often the main factor in the path of national borders. Under the influence of geography, wars are won and lost, and civilizations rise and fall. Bonny's path to victory in the 2006 bee was a long one. I am impressed not only by his comprehensive knowledge of geography but by his steady ascent through 4 years of competition. From second place at his individual school's geography bee, he rose to the national competition last year and to victory last month. I am proud to have this young man and his family as constituents. I give them my heartiest congratulations and wish Bonny well in high school and beyond. ____________________”