Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a fellow New Englander and a truly extraordinary Senator, our friend Patrick Leahy. In his memoir, Senator Leahy said that one word came to him time and again as he prepared to announce his retirement. That word is ``conscience.'' The Senate, at its best, he wrote, has been the Nation's conscience--a place where Members keep their word and work together for the good of our country. We heard him expound on that today when he talked about the currency of the Senate being trust. He went on to say: It has been a place where the minority has not just had a seat at the table but a voice as well. It has been a place where leaders join together across party lines to protect and strengthen our precious democracy. For 48 years, Patrick Leahy has been such a leader. As we celebrate the fact that he is the longest serving current Senator and the longest serving in Vermont's history, we know that this remarkable longevity is a consequence of his character. It has been such a pleasure to learn from Patrick Leahy during many years and to work with him. The legislation that we introduced in 2013 to end straw purchasing and the illegal trafficking of firearms was incorporated into the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that was signed into law this year. We have worked together to better protect runaway and homeless youth with legislation to help thousands of homeless young people nationwide.…”