Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I begin this Special Order for those Members on this side of the aisle who are retiring or who are leaving at the end of 2012, so I rise today not to say goodbye, but to say thank you. After 14 wonderful and productive years, I will be stepping away from this podium for the last time at the end of the 112th Congress. Representing the people of the 13th District of Illinois has been the great honor of my lifetime. Words cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel to my friends, colleagues, supporters, and staff who have made this time in Washington so cheerful and fulfilling. I can recall the first time that I stepped out onto the House floor as a Member of this great body and said to myself, How did I end up in the U.S. Congress, surrounded by the legacies of so many great leaders? Growing up on the south side of Chicago, I never expected to become a lawyer or a school board president, much less a Member of Congress. At the time, few women went to college, let alone law school. Today, I know the path here was often the same for all who have walked these Halls. We are just Americans who love our communities and our country and who found ourselves pursuing that love through service to others. Even among those who rarely see eye to eye, I know that we share a passion for creating a better future for the next generation and that there has always been enough to bridge any gap that divides us. Maybe that's why I've always been known as a moderate.…”