Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor one of my best friends in the Senate and a long-time public servant whom I greatly admire, John D. Rockefeller IV. In 1964, in Athens, OH, President Johnson went to Ohio University, and he said: Poverty hides its face behind a mask of affluence. But I call upon you to help me to get out there and unmask it, take that mask off of that face of affluence and let the world see what we have, and let the world do something about it. Several months later, John D. Rockefeller IV, 27 years old, came to West Virginia as a VISTA volunteer. Well-educated and well-connected, Jay Rockefeller could have chosen any career he wanted. But to him, it was about public service. This year marks Jay's 50th year in public service. He found himself in Emmons, WV. Emmons, WV, is a small town. Jay didn't shy away. Jay didn't keep his distance. He wanted to know the people he was going to be working with, and he set out to do that. For 2 years, he worked alongside the people of Emmons for accessible health care, for education, for opportunities. His work included dismantling and moving a condemned elementary school from a neighboring town onto a flatbed truck, and establishing it in Emmons as a community center. Jay never forgot that, Jay, who in this Chamber sits across the aisle from me at this desk. I was sitting here 2 weeks ago and Jay was talking about Emmons.…”