Political Quotes

“I am also concerned about another issue which has become very timely. It is related to recent statements by officials in Russia concerning Russia's view of the Baltic countries. I have a personal interest in this. My mother was born in Lithuania, an immigrant to the United States. Over the course of my public career, I have journeyed to the Baltic countries on several occasions and have witnessed the miracle of independence and democracy coming to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. This was something that many of us had prayed for but never believed would happen in our lifetime; that the Soviet empire would come down and that these three countries, which had been subjugated to the Russians and Soviets in the early forties, would have a chance for their own independence and democracy. In fact, I was able to be there on the day of the first democratic election in Lithuania. My mother was alive at the time, and she and I took great pride that the Lithuanian people had maintained their courage and dignity throughout the years of Soviet occupation and now would be given a chance to have their own country again.”