Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I must say, I was not expecting what just happened. I want to thank the gentlewoman from California, my beloved friend of almost over three decades--in having the deep respect I have for her in her own life before she came to Congress and now as the ranking member on the Financial Services Committee; a very difficult position to hold--for taking this opportunity so late in the evening to commemorate my tenure here in our magnificent U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, I thank every single Member who has come down. Obviously this is Women's History Month, and we had this announcement today, and I happened to be the victim of it. Mr. Speaker, I thank the people of Ohio's Ninth Congressional District for believing in me throughout my political career, for teaching me, for helping me to learn more and to understand the travails and the possibilities that were in their minds and hearts. I thank them so very much for that. As with anyone, we all have our faults and human limitations, but, to the best of our ability, we have tried to uphold the Constitution and to help the American people. I think back to my very first term in Congress, beginning in 1983. There was a great Congressman from Florida, Claude Pepper. I can still see him down in the well. Probably the most important vote I cast in my first few months in Congress was the refinancing of Social Security. What a great leader he was.…”