Political Quotes

“I thank the chairman for yielding, and I commend Representative Kelly for offering this important effort in highlighting the importance of the Great Lakes. I feel that you may be the last speaker this evening--I don't know-- but we would say ``last, but not least,'' especially for those of us from the Great Lakes, and we love the attention because we most often don't get it. We had conversations today about oceans and about other parts of the country, and it is just so great to have someone with your commitment to the Great Lakes. Mr. Chairman, we know it is the largest body of freshwater on the face of the Earth and that commerce moving through the seaways is the shortest distance between the United States, Europe, and ports even on the western side of Africa, if you look at the way the globe actually works. So to have this kind of work by yourself, by the chairman of our subcommittee--Mr. Simpson--by Candice Miller, by Congressman Visclosky, and by so many others who work on Great Lakes issues is wonderful and to have this team put together and to see that we have done a better job for our Great Lakes in this bill than in past bills. By the way, I might say that the lake on which the communities I represent are situated, Lake Erie, is the most drawn upon of the lakes and the most fragile, and we share her with Canada, so it even gets a little more complex, as we move forward. I just wanted to commend the gentleman, and I thank the chairman for giving me the time.…”