Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Congressman John Murtha, who passed away on February 8th, 2010. Representative Murtha was an exemplary leader and an American patriot. Born into an Irish-American family, John left college in 1952 to join the Marine Corps. Here he would begin his course in leadership, becoming a Marine Corps drill instructor. His military career not only led him to receive a degree from the University of Pittsburgh, but also placed him on the front lines of service in the Vietnam War. During this time, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple Hearts, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. In 1974 John was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and had an extraordinary 36 year career, obtaining the distinction of Pennsylvania's longest serving Congressman two days before he passed. A fiercely independent-minded public servant, John strived for bipartisan solutions to our nation's struggles. He had no fear of partisan attacks and as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee he courageously spoke out against the Iraq War. His fearless calls for the withdrawal of American forces in Iraq, in the face of strong partisan confrontations, earned him the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. I thank John for his service to our nation. I extend my deepest sympathies to John's wife Joyce, his children Donna Sue, John, and Patrick, and his grandchildren in this difficult time.…”