Political Quotes

“Today is National Bike to School Day. How fitting is it that Congressman Jim Oberstar's family's request for the remembrance of our beloved Jim is a contribution to the National Safe Routes to School program? Tens of thousands of children can get to school today more safely and millions will be more safe in the future because of his tireless efforts over two decades on behalf of that program. Jim Oberstar, I must confess, was like an uncle to me. Together, we spent hundreds and hundreds of hours in consultation, planning, touring, and legislating. It was the most effective mentoring possible. There are those who have been known as ``a man of the House,'' and Jim Oberstar certainly was ``a man of the people's House.'' But even more, he was a man of the T&I Committee, the Public Works Committee. He rose through the staff ranks to become staff director. Then, succeeding his Congressman, Congressman Blatnik, he became a Member of Congress, and ultimately became its chair. This is something no one else has done, serving as staff director of a committee and then ultimately presiding over it. As staff, committee member, or chair, or as a member of all the subcommittees, whether in the majority or minority, Jim Oberstar had an outsized influence on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for decades. It is safe to say that over the last 50 years no one had more influence than Jim.…”