Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague, Congressman Yarmuth. Mr. Speaker, to the rest of my colleagues, it is indeed an honor for me to come tonight to share in the life and the legacy of The Greatest, of the champ, of Muhammad Ali. Like my colleagues, I followed his career and was mesmerized by his wit, his poetry, and, more specifically, his boxing skill. But for me tonight, it was a special honor when I became a Member of this United States Congress. It was during the 113th Congress and the 44th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. During that conference, each member of the Congressional Black Caucus can submit the name of someone they think has made a difference in the lives of others, whether it was for health care, whether it was for civil rights, or making a difference through philanthropy. As I thought about all of the individuals that I could submit, I was very proud that I submitted the name Muhammad Ali. It was even a greater honor when he received the most votes from my colleagues, and he received one of our Phoenix Awards, named after Ralph Metcalfe. So when I stood on that stage before thousands and thousands of individuals, including the President of these United States, President Barack Obama, and watched the video that his family sent because he wasn't able to attend that dinner, I sat there, honored and proud because this Black man made a difference in the lives of so many young children, so many adults.…”