Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for taking this Special Order hour. We are all sad and lament the fact that an extraordinary human being was taken from us far too early. I tell my colleagues, this picture says it all: that wonderful, warm, accepting, engaging aloha smile that is represented in this picture of our colleague, Mark Takai. I join my colleagues in celebrating and remembering a life well lived. Though he only served alongside us in this House for a short time, he made a big impact on us all with his kindness, his sincerity, and his intellect. All of us admired the steadfastness with which he fought for his constituents and the courage with which he fought his illness. All of us saw Mark on this floor, determined to serve his constituents for as long as his health allowed him to do so. As was said yesterday, Mark did not greet us with any self-pity or any wringing of hands, but with a positive attitude to the end. I wasn't with him at the very end, but my, how we were blessed to be with him for the short time that we had him. What an example he set for all of us to overcome adversity and welcome opportunities rather than focusing on that which he could not do. Not only was Mark an outstanding Member of Congress, he was, as has been said by his fellow officer, a warrior willing to serve, to risk, and to save this great country, its democracy, and its people.…”