Political Quotes

“First, let me thank the gentleman, Mr. Lipinski, for organizing this opportunity to come to the floor today and recognize the remarkable achievements of our dear friend, my dear friend, Representative Jerry Costello. I want to thank Jerry, my friend and colleague, for his 24 years of remarkable, outstanding service to his district, to Illinois, and to the country. And although he's retiring at the end of this Congress, I know that his impact will be long-lasting. Since arriving in Congress in 1999, I have been very fortunate to have Jerry Costello to rely on for advice and guidance and support. And as you hear from one Member after another who gets up and says the same thing, you can see how Jerry Costello has been a friend to so many on both sides of the aisle. When I came, he and then-Representative Ray LaHood, now Secretary of Transportation, convened routine meetings of the Illinois House delegation to discuss how we could work together to meet the needs of our State. A fierce advocate for southwestern and southern Illinois, Jerry was eager to help all parts of the State to obtain Federal assistance and meet the needs of our constituents. Our delegation may have had some disagreements on policy, but we were firmly united, under Jerry's leadership, in our desire to bring funding to Illinois to create jobs, improve access to health care, help farmers and promote Illinois businesses.…”