Political Quotes

“Thank you very much, Speaker Halvorson. I appreciate your presiding over this historic piece of legislation. I want to thank my friend Bart Gordon. Chairman Gordon has been an extraordinary leader of this committee, an extraordinary member of the Energy and Commerce Committee; and in both of those venues he has focused on making sure that America could in fact compete and compete successfully and be the great Nation it has been, is now, and will continue to be as long as we keep investing in that which grows an economy--education, science, mathematics and engineering. I know that he has worked with some of the great industrial leaders of our Nation on this legislation. Mr. Augustine comes to mind. We're very proud of him in Maryland. But I want you to know how proud I am of Bart Gordon. He said that I was one of his close friends. I think Bart Gordon is one of my closest friends, not just in Congress, but in life. He and I have been here for a long time together. The good news is the ranking--used to be Democrat, now Republican-- Ralph Hall, is also a very close and dear friend of mine whom I have known all of my service here. He and I came together in the same class. He is a very good friend of Bob Slagle, who is a good friend of mine as well, and I want to thank him for his service to our country. The America COMPETES Act expands support for research and development, helping the United States to remain the world's innovation leader.…”