Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2607, the Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act, sponsored by Senator Padilla, which is a companion to a House bill sponsored by Representative Suozzi. I thank Representative Suozzi for sponsoring this bipartisan bill, which would award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 53 hostages of the Iran hostage crisis, which occurred from November 4, 1979, to January 21, 1981, in recognition of their bravery in the face of egregious human rights violations. It has been more than 40 years since their release. Representative Suozzi has been a tireless advocate in honoring these U.S. embassy employees who were taken hostage and uplifting their humanity. Last week, Representative Suozzi said on the floor that he was 17 years old when the hostages were taken and remembers the Iran hostage crisis as a painful time in our history. I am so appreciative of his dedication to this important issue and ensuring that these hostages are properly recognized for the sacrifices they have made that have had lasting effects until today. I am pleased to be able to vote ``yes'' for this bill before his retirement at the end of this term, and I congratulate him on this important bill to celebrate the resilience and strength of the hostages. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1500”