Political Quotes

“I thank my friend from the great State of Missouri (Mr. Clay) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, which would designate the post office in Pekin, Illinois, as the Lance Corporal Jordan S. Bastean Post Office. A 2010 graduate of Pekin Community High School, Jordan was a 4-year cadet in the Junior ROTC and was the captain of the air rifle team. As an avid hunter, an athlete, and a big fan of taking his dad's Jeep off- roading, he was the very definition of what it means to be a Midwesterner. Just like a lot of young men and women from the heartland, Jordan believed in service, and he believed in being the best he could be. That is why he joined the Marines. And Lance Corporal Bastean's commitment to service was so infectious that his dad quit his job and followed him into the military. But on October 23, 2011, during his first deployment to Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Bastean made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation in the Helmand province. Back home, Steve and Kathy Bastean lost their only child at the age of 19. Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, when his family releases balloons at his grave site to mark what would have been only his 26th birthday, I hope they know that a grateful Nation mourns with them.…”