Political Quotes

“I come to the floor for a special purpose this evening, a purpose that I think every Member of this House would want to join in during Black History Month. It is a rare bipartisan opportunity to honor a man whom I think Democrats and Republicans alike are equally proud of. He is a lifelong Republican, and yet, I, a lifelong Democrat, have come to ask Members to sign on to H.R. 1000, a bill to honor the first African American popularly elected to serve in the Senate of the United States. You heard me. He was not a Democrat, he was a Republican, and his name is Edward W. Brooke III, United States Senator from Massachusetts, 1967 to 1979. I come during Black History Month because I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for the House on both sides of the aisle to do something together that both wanted to do, instead of simply talking about Black History Month in the abstract, doing something for a former Member of the United States Congress who indeed was African American. His service was of such quality that the President of the United States, several years ago, already awarded former Senator Brooke the highest national medal that our government can offer, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But the highest medal we can offer is the Congressional Gold Medal. The Senate, where Senator Brooke served, has already unanimously passed this resolution. This is a special time, I think, that the House would want to follow suit.”