Political Quotes

“And I rise today in support of H.R. 2939, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, introduced by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). This bill authorizes the minting and award of a single gold medal in honor of this brave man. Shimon Peres was born on August 2, 1923, in Wiszniew, Poland. The Peres family immigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934. All of the family's relatives who remained in Poland were murdered during the Holocaust during World War II. Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned the respect of senior leaders in the independence movement in Israel, most notably David Ben-Gurion. In 1952, he was appointed deputy director general of the Ministry of Defense, and the following year, he became director general. At age 29, he was the youngest person to hold this position. He was involved in arms purchases and established strategic alliances that were important for the State of Israel. He has served in numerous high-level cabinet positions and ministerial posts in Israel, including head of the Israeli navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and President, among others. Mr. Peres has honorably served Israel for more than 70 years, during which he has helped harmonize the foreign policy interests of Israel and the United States. He played a pivotal role in forging the strong and unbreakable bond between our two countries. Mr.…”