Dennis Hastert

The first thing, Speaker Dennis Hastert said at this time, questioned whether we should rebuild New Orleans.

Post-9/11, Congress deliberately chose to offer the liability protections of the SAFETY Act to ensure a healthy anti-terrorism marketplace.

After 21 years of serving the people of Illinois in this House, the time has come for me to make my last speech from this podium.

The time has come for me to make my last speech from this podium.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert's lawyer went before the House Ethics Committee to explain how his office dealt with complaints about Foley's e-mails to pages.

I, first of all, learned of this last Friday, when we were about to leave Congress for you know, the break to -- to go out and campaign.

They'll be under oath, and we'll find out. If they did cover something up, then they should not continue their -- to have their jobs.

I'm deeply sorry that this has happened. And the bottom line is that we're taking responsibility, because, ultimately, as someone has said in Washington before, the buck stops here.

I'm going to run and presumably win in this election. And when we do, I expect to run for speaker.

You know, I'm going to run, and presumably win, in this election.

When you talk about the page issue and what's happened in the Congress, I'm deeply sorry that this has happened. And the bottom line is that we're taking responsibility because ultimately, as someone has said in Washington before, the buck…

If you let this thing spin out of control, Democrats are going to take back control of Congress and they're going to raise your taxes and grow the government.

Don't think about me. Don't turn your fire against me. Focus on the Democrats because remember, they're trying to take us down here.

There were others that had this information. Didn't come forward with it. I've asked for investigations both on the whole process. I've asked for Foley to be investigated, I've asked for investigations on who had this information because…

There are people that try to tear us down. We are the insulation to protect this country about and if they get to me, looks like you know, they could affect our election as well.

I have known him for all the years he has served in this House and he deceived me, too.

The instant messages reportedly between Congressman Foley and a former page, set in 2003 were vile and repulsive.

I have asked John Shimkus, who is the head of the Page Board, to look into this issue regarding Congressman Foley. We want to make sure that all our pages are safe and the page system is safe -- safe.

So, you know, they have blocked the legislation that we would like to finish.

Well, it hasn't been settled, but I think it gives us some time to take -- step back, take a breath, and then work out the problems.

This is one of the leaks that come out to try to, you know, intimidate people. And we're just not going to be intimidated on it.

My opinion is that they took the wrong path.

Now I don't know if this leak out of the Justice Department or wherever it came, was a coincidence or not, but I'll let anybody else try to connect the dots.

That gives us some time to step back and try to negotiate with the Department of Justice.