Political Quotes

“We commemorate extraordinary people and events on the floor of this House. Madam Speaker, there's no more extraordinary person that I have known than Dr. Dennis West. To everybody he was just ``Denny.'' No pretension, low-key, insightful. Dennis West had a remarkable career. Over the last 40 years, the city of Portland has gained a reputation as a unique community: well- planned, thoughtfully governed, providing cutting-edge initiatives, and creating a model of livability. Our community has been characterized by citizen involvement and getting the most out of scarce resources. There have been many heroes, elected officials, civic leaders, and philanthropists who've helped create this unique and renowned city. No one has done more as a public servant than Dennis West. He started his public service as an intern in the office of one of my predecessors, Congresswoman Edith Green. I first met Denny 40 years ago when he was a professor at Portland State University's School of Urban Studies, which he helped found and guide. Over the course of these four decades, Portland State, now Oregon's largest university, has emerged as one of the centers of urban scholarship and practical application, a laboratory of livability, a Mecca for planning and sustainability, and a critical driver of vitality for Portland.…”