Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Slotkin for yielding and for organizing this Special Order in honor of our dear friend, Paul Mitchell. Mr. Speaker, I represent parts of Macomb and Oakland counties. And during my first term in Congress, Paul and I shared representation of Macomb. Paul represented the northern part; I represent the southern part. And while there were plenty of policies we disagreed on, there were a lot of things we connected on, too. We wanted to bring better water infrastructure to Macomb. And, Paul, I am still working on it, and we are going to get there. We talked about our shared history in the workforce world. Paul was a real leader in workforce policy through his company, and I used to run the State workforce system in Michigan. And he was a real leader and a thought leader in that area. And, Paul, I am trying to carry that on as best I can, too, as we look towards WIOA reauthorization. And when we did spar over policy positions, it wasn't mean-spirited. In fact, it was really close to my ideal of what it means to serve in this body. It was real, honest debate, the kind I was happy to have and honored to have. Paul and I now share one more connection, and it is one we didn't share. As a two-time cancer survivor, I know what it is like to get that diagnosis, and I know the stress and the pain that Paul and his family are facing. It is something I wouldn't wish on anyone, and I am devastated that they have to go through it.…”