Political Quotes

“I thank my friend for yielding and for leading this Special Order. I was pleased to, with him, undertake this Special Order because of the timeliness of the crisis that confronts Sudan and the implementation of the agreement. I want to thank all of the Members for participating in this Special Order as well. It is important that we in the Congress stay focused and send a message, as I will here, that we are focused. And I applaud the gentleman for his statement tonight. I applaud him even further for his continuing leadership. Nobody in the Congress, in either the House or the Senate, has been more focused over a longer period of time, has traveled more extensively throughout the world, and to some of the most troubled spots in the world, and to Sudan, than the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and I thank him for his leadership. In fewer than 4 months, Southern Sudan will hold a referendum on independence, which was guaranteed by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The CPA ended Africa's bloodiest civil war, a war which took almost 2 million lives and displaced 4 million. Yet the risk of descending into war again seems all too real. Now, as on my congressional delegation to Sudan 3 years ago, our focus remains the same: Promoting peace, stability, and reconstruction across the whole of Sudan. This is not only our moral obligation but an important national security goal as well. We must work to ensure that Sudan does not become a safe haven for terrorists.…”