Political Quotes

“It is an honor to be before the House of Representatives this evening, and I want to thank Chairman Shimkus. When I came to Congress in 2011, I didn't know many people, and one night I had the privilege of meeting John Shimkus from the great State of Illinois. I told him I was from Tennessee, and we started talking. And right away we talked about Yucca Mountain. We talked about nuclear waste, and I told him that I was going to be representing a very special place: Oak Ridge, Tennessee. So let me start by thanking Chairman John Shimkus. He has been the hero for the Yucca Mountain project. He has worked tirelessly. He has seen this through the courts. He has seen it through the House. He has worked so hard. I thank him for his efforts. Oak Ridge, Tennessee, it is a beautiful place. I represent the Third District of Tennessee: Oak Ridge, where we had the Manhattan Project, where we won World War II; Oak Ridge, where we won the Cold War; Oak Ridge, where we have worked tirelessly to build our Nation's nuclear arsenal, and today we are still advocating to do that, to keep America strong--great men and women. But Oak Ridge, like many other places around the Nation--Savannah River, Portsmouth, Hanford--years ago, ladies and gentlemen, when we manufactured our nuclear weapons, we were not as safe and secure as we are today. There was an immediacy. There was a need during World War II to get the bomb built, and we did it in Oak Ridge, and it ended World War II.…”