Charles Skelton: “Mr. Chairman, it was the Roman orator Cicero who once said that the greatest of all virtues is gratitude, and let me…”

“Mr. Chairman, it was the Roman orator Cicero who once said that the greatest of all virtues is gratitude, and let me again express gratitude to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) for his tireless and skillful efforts in leading our committee, and in his contributions to the United States Congress through the years. We are very proud of him and thank him for what he has done for us, and the role model he has been for the rest of the Members, both Democrat and Republican. Let me also say a word of thanks and gratitude to the Committee on Armed Services, which I believe is the most bipartisan committee in this body. There are times we have partisan disagreements, but we do attack the various issues as professionals and as representatives of different parts of our country. But most of all, I think we as a body need to express thanks and gratitude to the young men and young women in uniform. That is the purpose of our being here today. It is the United States Constitution that charges us here in Congress to raise and maintain the military of the United States.”