Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor our colleague Joe Moakley, who passed away May 28. Joe Moakley was the kind of Representative we all should aspire to be. He was a dedicated public servant who enjoyed doing his job. He was a kind, generous, thoughtful, courteous individual who in nearly 50 years in public life made few if any enemies and earned the respect and affection of his adversaries as well as his allies. He represented his constituents ably while also taking the lead on important national issues like aid to El Salvador and the School of the Americas. He will be sorely missed. Joe Moakley was true to his roots. Born and raised in South Boston, he lived in this neighborhood all of his life. He served his country in the military. He was low-key and unpretentious. Joe never forgot where he came from. He served his constituents well during his 16 years in the Massachusetts statehouse, and he worked hard in Congress to secure Federal funding for the people and institutions of Boston and Massachusetts throughout his congressional career. Joe Moakley served on the House Rules Committee for many years, including 6 years as chairman and 6 years as the ranking member. In that capacity, he demonstrated a remarkable ability to reconcile the often-contradictory demands of partisanship and collegiality. Joe Moakley defended his legislative positions aggressively while strengthening the institution of the House through his consistent decency and fairness.”