Steny Hoyer: “I want you to think of your status, 280 million fellow citizens. There are but a few of you who have been given the…”

“I want you to think of your status, 280 million fellow citizens. There are but a few of you who have been given the opportunity, the honor, the privilege of serving in the House of Representatives. I know that every one of us who has the opportunity to be selected by their neighbors and friends to serve in this House feels the awesome honor of that privilege. I hope you share that with them. I hope you share the realization of the very special knowledge that each of you has received and understand how very unique your experience is relative to so many millions of young people in America. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) has pointed out that you have served as pages in this House and served your country in that capacity in a historic year, in a year in which America was attacked here on its very homeland. That has not happened since 1814. Think of that. That was even before you were born. It was so long ago, it was before I was born. America had felt invulnerable, safe.”