Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud sponsor of this resolution which I have worked on for a long period of time. It is a facet of Capitol Hill that we have to pass a resolution to approve and allow the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby to hold the 69th Annual Greater Washington Soap Box Derby on the Capitol grounds on June 19. Since 1938, when Norman Rocca beat out 223 other racers to win the inaugural Washington race, soapbox derby racing has had a long history in our Nation's Capital. Over nearly seven decades, thousands of the region's young people have come to Washington to take their place in a great race and a great tradition. Whether they were racing down New Hampshire Avenue, or at the current site coasting down Capitol Hill, the event's essential ingredients have remained the same: homemade, gravity-powered cars and the spirit of competition. America's soapbox derbies have rightly been called 'the greatest amateur racing event in the world.' The boys and girls who participate, many of them sponsored by community groups, police departments or fire departments, don't just gain value experience in building and engineering; they learn about the value of hard work and fair competition.”