Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues who came down tonight to share these words. I want to assure the American people--it feels like a eulogy--I am actually still alive but deeply indebted for their generosity, their kindness, and their words tonight. It means a lot. I have told people I am not one of the grumpy, cranky Members leaving. This is a great institution with really good people who do good work here. We may not always agree, as my friend from Oregon or my friend from California said, but it doesn't mean we have to be disagreeable. We come here to solve problems. We approach them from different angles representing different Americans, but we come here to find solutions. I have been so blessed to work with people like Mrs. Brooks, Mr. Blumenauer, and my friend from Michigan, Mr. Upton, and the others who were down here. It is a team effort, and we live in a really, really great country. I have been so blessed to be a part of this institution for the last 22 years. Mr. Speaker, I had hair when I came here. Honest. I can show you photos. So it will take a lot out of you. But when I do return home, I will complete my 644th round trip between the Nation's Capitol and home. I did that because I really wanted to stay in touch, and my family is here, and yet it proves the point. On almost every flight, my friend from the Portland area, Mr. Blumenauer, has been right there with me, and our colleague, Mr. DeFazio, almost every trip. And it is what we do as Members here.…”