Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Marshall for recognizing me for this period of time. I want to recognize Mr. Hall for his leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor and for his service to the congressional district which includes West Point, and Mr. Jones on the Republican side, who has been a good friend and colleague. I have always taken pride in sending good young people to the service academies, including West Point. And now I can say that for those who are going to West Point that Forbes has selected your institution as the finest college in America in 2009. I do believe, though, that these young people who go to our service academies are there not only to get a great education, they are there for service, and the highest kind of public service, because it puts them at great personal risk. My first recollection of visiting West Point was at the age of 8. At that point I was an immigrant child. I am not sure that I knew English completely, but I could read well enough to read the stone, that not too large stone there that has a very large phrase on it: ``Duty, Honor, Country,'' the words that the United States military has lived by, under civilian leadership, for over 200 years. And I want to honor that long gray line that I saw in 1962. I just also wonder whether those academy graduates from the class of '63 or '64, whether there are any left in active service, and perhaps they would be a four-star today. {time} 1515 There is a long line of service.…”