Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to recount the life of a colleague who recently passed away, Senator Kay Hagan from the State of North Carolina. I wish I didn't have to stand here to talk about her in the past tense. So many people who have served in the Senate with Kay Hagan, so many staff people across the Senate--and, in the context of both Members and staff, I would say both parties--recall serving with her fondly and also were very saddened by her passing. It is very difficult to encapsulate someone's personality or their life in a few short remarks, but you could not have met Kay Hagan even for a short period of time or worked with her even for a short period of time without being captivated by her spirit, her energy, and her optimism, not only about her life but about work. You could also be captivated by her ability to connect with people and to demonstrate the kind of uncommon decency that we don't see enough of in politics and even public service. We are going to miss that energy, that optimism, and that decency. We are also going to miss her commitment to public service, even when she was not an elected public official. My remarks today will not in any way encapsulate her whole life or her life of service, but I will try to provide some reflections. One thing you knew about Kay Hagan when she got to the Senate was that she was very clear about the people she represented in the State from which she came.…”