Political Quotes

“I thank the gentlewoman for loaning me her lei and hosting this Special Order in honor of our colleague and friend, the late Congressman Mark Takai of Hawaii. I was fortunate to develop a very close friendship with Mark, as we were part of the same freshman class elected in 2014, and sat next to each other on the House Armed Services Committee. In the panhandle of Florida, the area I represent, we have an attitude toward life we call ``The North Florida Way.'' It means we care about public service, we take care of our neighbors, and we do what is right. And even though the panhandle is about 5,000 miles from Hawaii, The North Florida Way is a lot like the aloha spirit. As we have learned here today, Congressman Takai embodies the aloha spirit. As a public servant, he stands as a role model for all of us. He first ran for public office at 27 years old, and served 10 years in the Hawaii House of Representatives before coming to Congress. At the same time, he was also serving in the Hawaii National Guard, where, over 17 years, he earned the rank of lieutenant colonel and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mark cared about his neighbors, representing the people of his State with distinction, and always cared about those around him, as a father, a husband, a friend, and a colleague. Sitting next to him in committee, he would always greet me with a smile and a warm aloha. He cared about doing what was right, especially for his fellow servicemembers in the military.…”